admin
Anyone who was worried about how Virat Kohli would perform now that he’s retired from two formats and plays just ODIs for India can put those concerns to rest. It doesn’t matter if he plays 10 matches a year, five, or even one; when Kohli plays, he does it with 100 per cent commitment, having put in 150 per cent of his preparation. How else can you justify that Kohli, playing his first competitive match of any form, smashed a hundred – his 135 turning out to be a match-winning one as India edged South Africa by 17 runs in a high-scoring thriller at Ranchi to take a 1-0 lead.
Also Read: Virat Kohli refuses to join victory celebrations despite repeated calls; Gambhir–Rohit chat spills into team hotel
Kohli no longer resides in India. He had been in London since the IPL 2025 concluded and only arrived here after six long months, with no ring-rust whatsoever. The pitch at the JSCA stadium was a relatively good surface for batters, but at 37, one would reckon getting back into the groove could take time. Well. Not if you’re Kohli. He has been doing this for over 15 years. The experience, the mental-readiness, and the muscle memory kick in the moment he enters the field.
Also Read: Virat Kohli ignores Gautam Gambhir after the match, India coach’s reaction can’t be missed
Former South Africa pacer Dale Steyn revealed that he ran into Kohli a day before the series opener, wanting to understand what goes into his preparations now that he plays just one format for India, and the conversations flowed.
“I actually saw him last night at dinner. I had a chat with him and asked him ‘What do you do, because you play just one format?’, and he said, ‘I live in London now’. He has great facilities at Lord’s, at Surrey, and he goes to practice too. There’s a trainer he works with. I can’t remember. But he’s always well prepared. When you look at him, he’s in tip-top condition all the time, mentally he is super strong. He’s played the game for so long – 51 ODI hundreds before this one. So he’s well aware of his game; how he goes about scoring his runs. He comes in, joins the team, and is fully committed. And then you see such kind of performances. That is what true professionals do,” Steyn told the host broadcaster after Kohli’s record-breaking century powered India to 249/8.
Vintage Kohli
Kohli’s century on Sunday was as vintage as it could get. He battled smoothly, displaying the same panache that made him a world beater all those years ago. While the BCCI has repeatedly insisted that Kohli’s match practice would play a crucial role in his road to the 2027 World Cup in South Africa, the legendary Sunil Gavaskarwho’s had a bit of a history with Kohli, especially during last year’s IPL, echoed Steyn’s thoughts. Before declaring Kohli as the absolute GOAT of ODI cricket, placing him a rung above the great Sachin Tendulkar, Gavaskar.
“If you remember, before they showed his interview, he said he always comes 100 per cent prepared for any game. So that’s the first (step). He came prepared for this and that’s why you see the results,” mentioned Gavaskar.
