Kohli transformation from support cast to top role

India's chances heavily depend on Virat Kohli. 

Adelaide: Virat Kohli heard someone hail him in the hotel lobby on Monday afternoon and halted. He took his shades off to exchange pleasantries. The gesture was not done for effect but the air of confidence in his eyes sparkled before he readjusted the dark glares on the bridge of his nose and stepped out into sunny Adelaide.
It was almost as if the India vice-captain wanted this one gesture alone to dispel the growing lack of confidence in his team in the run-up to the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015. As India prepare for their big game against Pakistan at the Adelaide Oval on Sunday, more than anyone else, Kohli will be aware that his role has changed drastically from four years ago.
Back in 2011, he started off with a century on his World Cup debut but in a team laden with batsmen like Virender Sehwag, Sachin Tendulkar, Gautam Gambhir and Yuvraj Singh, not to speak of Mahendra Singh Dhoni, he was but part of the support cast. In the four years, he has become the bulwark of India's batting, earning the respect of his peers around the world.
Though Ajinkya Rahane is in good form, Kohli's challenge appears to have grown larger since Suresh Raina, another 2011 World Cup winner, has played only one knock of note recently a 51 against Australia in an ODI last month sandwiching a pair in the Sydney Test and two scores of 1 each against England.
Sir Vivian Richards may speak of Kohli as a modern legend but if India are to stretch their stay in the World Cup till the very end, he will have to consistently manage the middle order, not only to ease the pressure off Raina's back but also for Dhoni and Ravindra Jadeja to be able to play the finishers' role without having to focus overly on restricting damage and rebuilding.
Indeed, Kohli will have to extend his golden form from the Tests in Australia into the World Cup. On Sunday, there was a sense of purpose in his walk to the middle he headed straight to non-striker Shikhar Dhawan after Rohit Sharma was out to a tame dismissal in the warm-up against Australia.
The Indian vice-captain looked in good touch, stepping out to carve Josh Hazlewood inside out over covers and leaning into a classical cover drive off Mitchell Starc to show that he was ready to play his part. He was beginning to assume control when his innings was cut short by an inside-edge to the pad and the stumps to present Starc the first of his two wickets.
For a batsman who has scored 6,232 runs in 150 ODI games, Kohli knows well that he could be judged by his performance in the World Cup. More so in the wake of talk about how Dhoni is not in as complete control of the dressing room as before. Kohli's sole focus will have to be on the task of leading India's batting in the World Cup.
The look in his eyes on Monday suggested that Kohli is in a comfortable place with his cricket. Over the next few weeks, starting with Sunday's emotionally surcharged match with Pakistan, the 26-year-old will have the opportunity to emulate one of his idols, Sachin Tendulkar, in emerging as the leading scorer in a World Cup.