Sports

Brett Lee declares Kohli ‘best in the world’

Former Australia quick Brett Lee rates India’s Virat Kohli as the best player in the world right now - and it’s easy to see why.After dominating in white-ball cricket for the first half of this year, India’s Test captain seamlessly translated his form into the five-day game last week, posting his maiden Test double century in the first Test against the West Indies. It brings to 12 the number of scores of 50 or more Kohli has scored for his country in 2016 across all three formats from just 18 innings.It’s left Lee in no doubt where the 27-year-old sits among the world’s best players.‘I feel Virat is the best cricketer at the moment,’ said Lee, who is currently in India to promote his film UNIndian.‘Sachin (Tendulkar) is the best batsman (ever) and now I feel Virat is tremendous from his work ethic ... his aggression is amazing. People look up to him.’Having starred during the one-day international and T20 series in Australia in January, Kohli’s hot form continued through the T20 Asia Cup and then the World T20, where he was named player of the tournament.He earned the top honour again in the Indian Premier League in April and May after he was dismissed for less than 50 on just five occasions from 16 innings, scoring four centuries and seven fifties.And he’s barely missed a beat since changing gears for the red-ball game, striking 24 boundaries in his 200 in Antigua.