India National Cricket Team batting great Virat Kohli won the Player of the Series award for his heroics in the recently concluded three-match ODI series against the South Africa National Cricket Team.
During the post-match chat, Virat Kohli revealed his and Rohit Sharma‘s mission in international cricket till the time they are playing for the India National Cricket Team.
I haven’t played like this in 2-3 years – Virat Kohli
Virat Kohli’s return to international cricket was a poor one as he registered back-to-back ducks against the Australia National Cricket Team. However, he slammed 74* runs in the third match to return to form.
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As the ODI series between India and South Africa began, Kohli looked like a different beast altogether and slammed back-to-back centuries in Ranchi and Raipur.
Also, Kohli looked in a dominant touch in the third ODI match at Dr. Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium in Visakhapatnam and played a match-winning knock of 65* runs.
Speaking after winning the Player of the Series award, Virat Kohli said that he has achieved an immense level of satisfaction from the way he has been playing at the moment. He stated:
“Honestly, playing the way I have in the series is the most satisfying thing for me. I feel really free in my mind. I haven’t played like this in 2-3 years.”
When you play for that long – 15-16 years, you do doubt yourself – Virat Kohli
Virat Kohli further made an honest admission, saying that doubts have often crept into his mind as he has been playing cricket for close to two decades. He explained:
“I know when I can bat like that in the middle, it helps the team a long way. Makes me confident, any situation in the middle, I can handle that and bring it in favor of the team.
“When you play for that long – 15-16 years, you do doubt yourself. Especially as a batter when one mistake can get you out. It’s a whole journey of getting better and getting better as a person along the way. It improves you as a person and it improves temperament as well. I’m just glad that I’m still able to contribute to the team.”
That’s why we have played for the team for so long – Kohli on Rohit Sharma
When asked about hitting a lot of sixes in the ODI series against the Proteas, Virat Kohli said that he has the ability in the world to play an attacking brand of cricket. He said:
“When I play freely, I know I can hit sixes. There’s always levels you can always unlock. The first one at Ranchi – because I hadn’t played a game since Australia.”
In the end, Kohli said that he and Rohit Sharma just want to do special things for the team and the country. He stated:
“Just how your energy is on the day, Ranchi is very special for me and I’m very grateful as to how these three games have gone. It’s always brought the best of us – that’s what we want to play for. When it’s 1-1, we want to do something special for the team. That’s why we have played for the team for so long. Just happy that both of us continue to do it for so long.”
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