In the realm of ODI cricket, we are inundated with statistics and comparisons, often heralding Virat Kohli as the modern-day Don Bradman. However, beneath the numbers lies a deeper understanding of what truly defines Virat Kohli's greatness. Let's delve into the treasure trove of Hawkeye ball tracking data to unravel the facets that set him apart.

We can observe from the pitchmap that Virat Kohli effortlessly dispatches full and short deliveries, using his impeccable drives and grounded shots strokeplay to maintain a consistently high scoring rate. His exceptional skill lies in handling deliveries of good (6-8m) and hard length (8-9m), seamlessly merging the discipline and defense of Test cricket with the urgency of white-ball play.

In ODIs, the average strike rate off good length deliveries is 64, with a balls-per-wicket (BpW) rate of 39. Remarkably, Kohli achieves a remarkable SR of 80 and a BpW of 63. When facing hard length deliveries, where the average SR is 72 with a BpW of 54, Kohli maintains a striking SR of 80 and a stunning BpW of 113. His approach involves a combination of attacking shots and precise rotating shots, making use of cuts, pulls, flicks, punches, backfoot drives, dabs, pushes, steers, soft drives, and wristy pulls.

Against spin, Kohli's judgment of length is exceptional. He adeptly adjusts his position, going deep and defending for singles or leaning fully forward to nullify the spin. When confronted with a good length (4-6m) delivery from spinners, where the average SR is 70 with a BpW of 41, Kohli strikes at 75 with a BpW of 85. His swift footwork and weight transfer to the back foot are instrumental in countering this length effectively. Additionally, Kohli possesses a repertoire of classical shots, including drives and whips against the turn, punishing bowlers' errors regardless of the length.

Virat Kohli unites the measured artistry of the defensive game, an expansive range of attacking and rotating shots, and the rare ability to traverse the fine tightrope between risk and reward with the grace of a tightrope walker. In him, the sport finds its true maestro, a virtuoso whose every stroke is a paean to the timeless beauty of cricket.