He pointed out that the pitches in Dubai are more challenging compared to the flatter tracks seen in Pakistan.
Former Royal Challengers Bengaluru coach Mike Hesson analyzes Virat Kohli’s century and shares his thoughts on how the Champions Trophy 2025 might unfold.
Virat Kohli played a fantastic innings, scoring a century against Pakistan. His performance helped India easily chase the target of 242, winning the match by six wickets with 45 balls to spare.
In an interview with Cricbuzz, former RCB coach Mike Hesson praised Virat Kohli’s reliability and clutch performance. He brought up the fact that although Kohli frequently receives criticism for his performance, he consistently demonstrates why he is among the greatest in ODI cricket. Hesson mentioned that Kohli’s ability to handle pressure and chase down targets with precision was once again on display in his latest innings.
Hesson also stressed that Kohli thrives in high-pressure situations, making difficult chases look effortless. He noted that Kohli’s latest knock was a perfect example of his ability to dominate under pressure and that such performances are expected from a player of his stature.
“Virat continues to do it, doesn’t he? Whenever people start to question whether it might be, you know, nearing the end, he just reminds us why he averages 58 in ODI cricket. I guess last night was just another example of a masterful chase in a pressure cooker environment. You wouldn’t expect anything less from a player like Virat,” Hesson said.
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Hesson pointed out that the pitches in Dubai are more challenging compared to the flatter tracks seen in Pakistan. He described that the conditions are different, where spin and pace both have a huge role to play, which is hard on the batters to score freely.
He highlighted that Kohli had struggled in Dubai before, averaging only 37 with a highest score of 90. This was much lower than his career average of 58. Given this, Hesson emphasized that Kohli’s century in such a crucial game was a major achievement and must have been extremely satisfying for him.
“They’ve certainly used surfaces that are not as flat as some of the ones currently on show in Pakistan. You played two games in Dubai, and both featured quite different surfaces. The ball does turn, so all the top batsmen are challenged by both spin and pace. Virat’s highest score in Dubai prior to this century was 90, and he only averaged about 37 there. So, compare that to the 58 he averages throughout his whole career. It’s not his favorite hunting ground, so to score the hundred he did, especially in such an important game…it would have given him immense pleasure,” he stated.
Mike Hesson believes that India and South Africa are the strongest teams in the tournament so far, as both have been in top form and possess the most depth in their playing XI. According to him, these two sides are the front-runners for the title due to their consistent performances and balanced squads.
Initially, Hesson viewed New Zealand as slightly behind India and South Africa, particularly because they had yet to beat Bangladesh at the time of his comments. However, with New Zealand now securing a victory over Bangladesh, they have confirmed another semifinal appearance in a major event. Hesson also emphasized that once a team reaches the knockout stage, anything can happen, and past records become less relevant.
“The two front-runners are India and South Africa, in my view, at the moment. I think New Zealand sort of sits just behind them. They haven’t beaten Bangladesh yet, so we’ll have to see how that game goes. But if they do, it will very much confirm another semifinal at a major event, and once you get into the playoffs, anyone can win. But I see India and South Africa as the two sides not only in the best form but also with the biggest depth in terms of their playing eleven,” he concluded.
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