After over 1000 days, Kohli scored his first international ton while the knock, he’d later admit, had left him a bit shocked as T20 was a format he least expected to break the deadlock with.
Over the last few months, Virat Kohli was struggling with the bat, but his performance in the Asia Cup has shut up all the detractors. After over 1000 days, Kohli scored his first international ton.
The knock, he’d later admit, had left him a bit shocked as T20 was a format he least expected to break the deadlock with.
“I think that celebration was more a relief,”
KL Rahul, his skipper on the night, said in the post-match press conference.
“There was no difference to his mindset, attitude, and work ethic in the last 2-3 years, or before that when he used to score 100s every second game. There’s been no difference in the way he prepares for the game or his attitude towards representing the country and winning matches for his team. The desire and the passion he’s had has always remained the same,”
Rahul said.
Rahul also clarified how Kohli’s capacity to stay at the time and show a great deal of persistence especially through the extreme period was a learning for the side too, and that Thursday’s result that came after a long wait wasn’t the slightest bit astonishing for those in the dressing room.
“I think we’re also very obsessed with numbers – only if centuries are being hit, a batter is considered to be in form – but his contributions in the last 2-3 years were phenomenal. He’s still the top-2 or top-3 run-getters in white-ball cricket in the last two or three years,”
Rahul said.
“As a player, you always want to be perfect or challenge yourself. You run behind excellence. He’s always been that player. Even during this [lean] phase, he’s remained in the moment, he’s worked hard on his game, he’s remained patient – and that’s been a big learning for us in the group that these ups and downs are a part of every player’s career and how you remain balanced in your mindset, how you can focus on what’s in front of you today.
“I think he’s done that [focus on simple things] brilliantly over the last couple of years and in that dressing room, none of us are surprised with what he’s done. I am sure this will give him even more confidence – not that he needed confidence, but he will obviously cherish this 100 and it’ll build great confidence around the group as well,”
Rahul added.