Kohli has been most impactful player in ODIs for India this decade: Gavaskar

Mumbai: The legendary Sunil Gavaskar believes skipper Virat Kohli has been the most impactful player for India in the last 10 years, considering the number of games that he has won for the country in this span of time.

Kohli, who made his India debut in 2008, has emerge as one of the best batsmen in all formats of the game in the past decade. He recently became the fastest cricketer to score 12,000 ODI runs, breaking the record of cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar.

“I think if you look as an individual, then certainly it”s got to be Virat Kohli, because if you look at the number of matches he”s won for India when India has been chasing big scores,” Gavaskar said on Star Sports show ”cricket connected”.

“I look at the impact a player has had, and not just the runs or wickets that he has taken, and in that aspect, you have got to say that in this decade it really has been Virat Kohli who has had the most impact on the matches that India has won.”

However, former Australian opener Matthew Hayden feels it is former skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who has been the most impactful player in ODIs for India in this decade.

Dhoni announced his retirement from international cricket in August this year.

“I think it”s really important and significant that MS Dhoni has won a World Cup and a Champions Trophy. That World Cup for me, that”s a real big milestone,” said Hayden.

“I have mentioned it before we have played loads of cricket in the one-day format and I just feel that when it comes to being ready for a World Cup, you not only got to have a good leader but you also need to have a calm strong player in the middle order like he has.”