Chase Master: Ajinkya Rahane reveals why Virat Kohli is the best chaser in white ball cricket

Chase Master: Ajinkya Rahane reveals why Virat Kohli is the best chaser in white ball cricket originally appeared on Cricket News. Add Cricket News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

Ajinkya Rahane credits Virat Kohli's mindset for his unmatched chasing success.

India legend Kohli owns several world records while batting second in white-ball cricket.

Alastair Cook praised Kohli's calculated risk-taking during run chases.

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Ajinkya Rahane reveals why Virat Kohli is considered a master in chasing in ODI & T20s

Virat Kohli is widely recognised as the best run chaser in limited-overs matches. Over the years, he has built that reputation by repeatedly guiding India home in pressure situations, and Ajinkya Rahane believes the secret lies in the way Kohli thinks during an innings.

It often gets complicated while chasing mammoth targets, but Kohli keeps his calm even when the run rate keeps climbing, or wickets fall at the other end.

His sharp game awareness and the ability to judge exactly when to attack have made him one of the most dependable batters in ODI and T20I cricket.

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Kohli's numbers while batting second are unlike those of any other player in the history of one-day cricket. Time and again, he has produced match-winning knocks when India have been asked to chase.

The former India skipper owns the record for the highest number of centuries in successful ODI run chases. He has reached three figures 22 times in victories while batting second, a feat no other batter has matched.

Sachin Tendulkar is next on the list with 14 hundreds in winning chases, while former Australia captain Ricky Ponting finished his career with eight.

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Ajinkya Rahane explains Virat Kohli's chasing mindset

Rahane believes Kohli's greatest strength is not simply his technique but the way he thinks during a chase. Speaking about his India teammate in the Stick to Cricket podcast, Rahane admitted that he has often tried to discover the secret behind Kohli's incredible success but has never managed to get an answer.

"I think it's his mind. The calculation in his mind. I think that's the secret. I tried to ask him many times, but you know he doesn't give it away," Rahane said.

"No, he will not give you any clue. But again, his calculation is fearless at times, taking, knowing when to take a risk."

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Former England captain Alastair Cook also praised Kohli's unique approach to chasing.

He added: " One big risk run. One which seems a risk, but it's not a risk for him. And then do again."

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Virat Kohli's greatest strength is his decision-making under pressure

Plenty of batters can whack a ball hard or follow the cricket textbooks when they're chasing. But that's not what makes Kohli special. When you're going after a target, there's a whole different beast to face: the nerves, the pressure, the split-second choices that either win you the match or sink you. Kohli's got all of that figured out somehow, and his numbers just keep proving it.

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What makes his chasing record particularly remarkable is its consistency. This isn't a player who had a brilliant run for two years and then faded away. Across a span of more than fifteen years, Kohli has maintained performance levels that other batters simply cannot sustain. The mental toll of chasing matches would grind down most players, yet Kohli thrives on it.

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Rahane's comments about Kohli's "fearless calculation" actually get to the heart of what separates the good from the great. Many batters know what to do. Kohli knows how and when to do it.

What's equally important is that Kohli doesn't hide behind luck or circumstance. His chasing average across all chases (not just winning ones) remains substantially above his career average, which means he brings something special to the chase that isn't about favourable conditions or weak opposition. It's about him, his mind, and his understanding of the game's demands.

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