Walsh's Honorable Mentions

In the pantheon of cricketing greats, Kohli found himself in esteemed company, as Courtney Walsh extolled his virtues. While he ranked Sachin Tendulkar as the pinnacle of Indian cricketing greatness, Walsh also acknowledged the brilliance of players like Brian Lara, Viv Richards, Ricky Ponting, and Steve Waugh from the West Indian perspective. 

"Well, as an Indian great, I would rate him just behind Sachin. Sachin is one of the greatest I have seen and played against," Walsh told JioCinema.

Interestingly, he drew parallels between Kohli and cricketing stalwarts like Graham Gooch and Javed Miandad, who exemplified a similar determination to preserve their wickets and excel on the grandest stage.

"Brian Lara, Viv Richards, I will put them up from a West Indian point of view. Ricky Ponting and Steve Waugh. Two gentleman I played when I was a youngsterâ€æ Graham Gooch from England and Javed Miandad, who probably did not as much games. But the value they put on their wickets reminded me of Virat Kohli as well, he doesn't want to go. So I will definitely have him in my top 4, top 5 greatest cricketers I have seen," he added.

Walsh's Recollection of a chat with Kohli

From his debut to his 500th match, Virat Kohli's cricketing journey has been an awe-inspiring tale of perseverance and triumph. Walsh's recounting of an interaction with the Indian maestro during his days as he offered a glimpse into Kohli's unyielding drive. 

"He has got the passion for the game, he wants to leave a mark in the game. I remember having a conversation with him when I was the selector for West Indies, and he was the captain. We were having a chat. You could tell that he wants to be the best. He was willing to seek out advice from anyone that will help to do so. I am not surprised by the achievement. The passion he has and the drive he has to be the top 3, top 5 in everything he does," Walsh said.

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