Virat Kohli: I was a little shocked because this was the format I least expected a century to come

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.

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.

“I feel blessed, really grateful right now. The last two and a half years or so have taught me a lot. I’m going to turn 34 in November, so celebrations are all from the past. I’ve put a lot of things in perspective. Actually, I was a little shocked because this was the format I least expected a century to come. It’s all god’s blessing, I’ve been working hard. This was just a special moment for me, and the team as well.

“It was an accumulation of a lot of things as I said when I came back into the team, the team has been very open and welcoming and helpful and given me space to work on my game. I know there was a lot of stuff going on the outside but they kept my perspective right.

“And I kissed my ring in the celebration as well. You see me standing here right now like this because all the things that have been put in perspective have been done by one person through all these difficult times, that’s Anushka. And this hundred is specially dedicated to her, and our little daughter Vamika as well.

“As I said when you have someone next to you having conversations, putting things in the right perspective like I have been and Anushka has been by my side through all these times. Time away from the game taught me a lot of things, when I came back I was not desperate, I was grateful for what God blessed me before. People were talking about me not getting a hundred, but I looked at how much he has given me already. That calmed me down and relaxed me. And I was just happy to come back, six weeks off…refreshed. I understood after taking a break how tired I was both physically and mentally, your competitiveness does not allow you to take the call. But I think it was a blessing in disguise for me and I wanted to be the best version of myself for the team. And when I came here, when I started playing in the nets I felt that my old rhythm was coming back. And it was just about getting those performances in the middle again”