Relief. That’s what Virat Kohli felt after scoring his first run of the India vs Australia ODI series in Sydney. After his quick single, Kohli pumped his fists in celebration and cracked a smile. Pressure was mounting. Many were critical of Kohli not playing any competitive cricket in the lead-up; some even asked for him to retire.
That single off Josh Hazlewood just lifted immense pressure off his shoulders. From there on, Kohli looked like his usual self. Chasing just 237 meant that he could take his time, and that’s exactly what he did.
‘The game shows you everything,’ says Kohli
Rohit Sharma was leading the charge, and Kohli was happy to play second fiddle. Both finished the match in the 39th over with Rohit unbeaten on 121 and Kohli on 74. After their knock, Adam Gilchrist and Ravi Shastri had a chat with the modern great.
“Two ducks out of the pond,” Shastri jokingly asked Kohli. “Good to be out of the pond, honestly,” the modern-day great jovially replied.
Kohli broke a few records during his 73-run knock, but he admitted feeling uncertain. Despite playing international cricket for 17 years now, he revealed that he wasn’t sure how he would score even one run in Sydney. Kohli added that these tough times are the reason why he loves cricket and keeps coming back.
“You might have scored, but the game shows you everything, even at this stage. Almost 37 and still feel like I don’t know how to get a run. This game is amazing. That’s why we love batting. It’s so challenging when it’s not going your way and just finding your rhythm again. Going out there, having a situation to play always brings out the best in me,” Kohli added.
