Virat Kohli’s stunning hundred saw India post a colossal total on the board and win the match against the Proteas at the JSCA International Stadium Complex in Ranchi.
Virat Kohli breaks silence on Test comeback
In his previous outing in international cricket, Virat Kohli scored 74* runs at the Sydney Cricket Ground after registering back-to-back ducks in the series against the Australia National Cricket Team.
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However, Kohli did not start slowly this time and destroyed the Proteas bowling unit in the first match itself. He was forced to arrive midway through the fourth innings after Yashasvi Jaiswal was dismissed for 18.
The legendary batsman brought out his aggressive avatar in the middle, and the way he batted from the start, it looked like he had his sights set on a big score.
Kohli played an attacking brand of cricket, hitting his 52nd century in ODI cricket off 102 balls, before accelerating exceptionally well.
He was eventually dismissed by Nandre Burger after scoring 135 runs off 120 balls and his innings was studded with 11 fours and 7 sixes.
Virat Kohli won the Player of the Match award and while interacting with Harsha Bhogle, he revealed that he would continue to play only ODI cricket till the time he retires from international cricket and has no plans for a Test comeback.
“It will always be like this: I only play one form of the game,” the batsman said at the post-match presentation ceremony.
Notably, some recent reports have suggested that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is planning to bring back retired players, including Kohli, to the Test setup.
All my preparation is mental – Virat Kohli
During the same interaction, Kohli also stated that he prepared him mentally and physically for the series, which helped him deliver the goods. He explains:
“Today it was a lot of fun coming into the match like that. The pitch played decently for the first 20-25 overs before it started to slow down. It was about staying in the space of fun. Of course, when you start, you get into the situation and you know what needs to be done.”
“The experience begins. I never believed in preparation. All my preparation is mental. As long as my physical level is up to par and the mental sharpness is there, you know it’s good. I took a day off before the match. I’m 37 and need time to recover.”
If you have played more than 300 games and that much cricket, you know when you hit balls – Virat Kohli
The modern batsman added that he is quite experienced in understanding his fitness and reflexes and it is all about being excited and mentally ready for the matches. He said:
“When you’ve played about 300 games and that much cricket, you know when you hit balls in practice, you know the reflexes are there and the physical ability to bat for long. As long as you hit the ball well and play good cricket, it’s about being physically fit, mentally ready and excited.”
Also read: Ravi Shastri takes a dig at Gautam Gambhir and Ajit Agarkar after Virat Kohli reaches 52nd ODI ton
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