2. VIRAT KOHLI (RCB)
No matter how much praise you lavish on this man, nothing can encapsulate the relentless fortitude that he has been exhibiting on the 22 yards in recent times. From being adjudged the ‘Man of the Tournament’ in the ICC World T20 two months back to being named the MVP of IPL 2016, Kohli has won several accolades in his 8-year long career, except for the highly coveted IPL trophy. Royal Challengers Bangalore came within a whisker of winning the title this time around but had to settle with the second place in the end as Sunrisers Hyderabad overwhelmed them by 8 runs to lift its maiden IPL trophy in Bangalore on Sunday. Kohli has been in the form of his life, advocated by his tally of over 970 runs in the recently concluded edition of the IP Land the RCB supporters waited with bated breath to see their Captain end their painful drought for a trophy.But it was not to be as the home fans witnessed the players from the opposition camp take to the podium. Despite finishing as runner-up, the 27-year old needs to be credited with installing a never-say-die-attitude in his team, counting on which they achieved the improbable feat of winning 6 consecutive games to make the final. That Kohli played the latter half of the tournament with 7-8 stitches in his webbing goes to show the kind of determination and grit this man can bring to the table. His tally of 973 runs from 16 games at an average of 81.08 made him the possessor of the ‘Orange Cap’. Prior to IPL 9, Kohli didn’t have a single triple figure score to his name in T20s but has finished the season with 4 such centuries; a glaring testimony to his near-superhuman consistency of late. Besides notching up signifi cant scores in almost every match RCB played this season, Kohli also slammed 38 sixes; a feat unsurpassed by no one else in IPL 2016. It is needless to say that he and Warner would form a dream opening pair if at all there happens to be one.
Stats- Matches 16, Runs 973, HS 113, N.O 4, Avg.- 81.08, S/R- 152.03, 4 hundreds, 7 fifties.
