Viv Richards: Love guys like Virat Kohli, he has what I had

"I love guys like that. People talk about arrogance but it is about believing in yourself. It is like having the keys to your home, Virat has something similar now (know all the entry and exits). I had it in my time, he has it now.

Viv Richards: Love guys like Virat Kohli, he has what I had

Virat Kohli

It is not often that stalwarts like Vivian Richards comes out and praises you. But such is the pedestal that India skipper Virat Kohli has reached that Richards not only shut critics who have questioned Kohli's attitude, but also said that Kohli reminds him of his own game.

"I have always loved Indian batsmanship. The confidence he is blessed with you can't get that overnight. Either it's instilled in you or you are born with it. He is a fighter and defends his teammates more than anyone else.

It's not arrogance, he fancies himself against anybody in the world and that I think is the right way to play. Every great player looks forward to being on the biggest stage and every such player wants to come out winning a cup. That's what Kohli has with him," Richards said at India Today's Salaam Cricket 2019.

India start their campaign in the 2019 World Cup on Wednesday against South Africa at the Rose Bowl in Southampton. While India will be playing their first game, South Africa come into the game having lost both their games so far in the showpiece event, against England and Bangladesh.

But South Africa skipper Faf du Plessis has promised that the team will come back strongly against India in their third game of the World Cup.

In another news involving another Indian batting great and Viv Richards, Sachin Tendulkar has revealed that it was the West Indian who pulled Sachin out of retirement thoughts after the 2007 World Cup.

India were eliminated early on in the 2007 World Cup and the team including Sachin Tendulkar were heavily criticised by the fans and the media for the debacle.