'Hard to surpass him': Australia legend Ian Chappell picks Virat Kohli as best Test batter of this generation

Australian legend Ian Chappell has picked Team India superstar Virat Kohli as the best Test batter of the current generation. Kohli, who is known for his incredible consistency, has been breaking records for fun across formats for a number of years now and is widely regarded as one of the greatest of all time.

He has often been pitted against the likes of Steve Smith, Joe Root and Kane Williamson among others when it comes to the best batter debate in world cricket. However, the former India captain's consistency along with his superior technique and ability to deliver in all three formats make him stand apart from his closest rivals.

In his latest column for ESPNCricinfo, Chappell dwelled into the best Test batter debate in the current era and went on to pick Kohli over the likes of Smith, Root, Williamson and Babar Azam. The Australian legend called Kohli a fine player with a great range of strokes.

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However, he insisted Kohli's performances in the whites have dipped recently and he needs to rekindle his magic to catch up with others.

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"Kohli is a fine player with a great stroke range, a highly competitive nature, and a thoughtful approach to batting. When asked why he doesn't indulge in typical short-form risky shots, he replied by saying, I don't want them to creep into my Test game. However, whatever the case - the ageing process, or his having retired as captain - Kohli's output has started to wane and he needs to rekindle the magic," Chappell wrote in his column for ESPNcricinfo.

"It's hard to choose the best player from that talented group. And when you consider that some old-timers preferred Victor Trumper's artistic style over the acknowledged best batter, Sir Donald Bradman, the difficulty is not surprising. From among these players on their best days, it's hard to surpass the highly competitive Kohli. His twin centuries in a failed but brave victory attempt at Adelaide Oval in 2014 remain my favourite innings among those produced by this group," he added.

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Kohli, whomade his Test debut for India against West Indies in June 2011, has come a long way since then. Two-three years into his Test career, Kohli was on the verge of getting dropped due to his average performances, however, backing from former captain MS Dhoni brought his Test career on track.

Kohli has been one of India's most prolific run-getters in the white over the last few years with 8074 runs in 102 matches at an average close to 50 (49.53), including 27 centuries and 28 fifties under his belt. Kohli is also India's most successful Test captain of all time with 40 wins in 68 Test matches.