Champions Trophy 2025: Virat Kohli in action against Australia© AFP
Virat Kohli was grit personified in the India vs Australia Champions Trophy semi-final in Dubai on Tuesday. With India chasing 265 on a tricky wicket, Virat Kohli curbed his attacking instinct as he scored 84 off 98 balls. HIs innings included only five fours and no sixes. Virat Kohli’s strike-rate of 85.71 may not tell the whole story as he stitched crucial stands with Shreyas Iyer, Axar Patel and KL Rahul to take India closer to the target. Ultimately, India chased down the target of 265 in 48.1 overs. Kohli’s fluent effort included 56 singles and four twos, indicating his exemplary fitness level.
After the win, Virat Kohli said he played like the way he starred against Pakistan, where he scored a ton on the final ball of India’s innings.
“It was pretty similar to the other day against Pakistan as well. For me it is about understanding the basics and preparing my game accordingly.. just rotating strike because on this pitch partnerships are the most important thing. My only effort that day and today was to string in enough partnerships. The time that I got out the plan was to get 20 more and try and finish it off in a couple of overs. Usually that’s the template I follow but sometimes you can’t execute what you want to Virat Kohli said after the match-winning knock,” Kohli said after the match-winning knock.
On what satisfied him the most in his innings, Virat Kohli said: “My timing. The composure at the crease.. I wasn’t feeling desperate and feeling happy knocking ones around and when as a batsman you start taking pride in taking singles into the gaps, that is when you know you are playing good cricket and you know you are in for a big partnership. In the game against Pakistan and today that was the most pleasing factor for me.”
When asked, if he is in his best phase in ODIs, Virat Kohli replied: “I don’t know that’s up to you guys to break down. I have never focussed on those things. I never spoken about those things. When you don’t think about milestones it happens along the way to victories. I take pride in doing what my team wants. Those things don’t matter anymore for me. It’s just about stepping out and hopefully doing the job for the team.”
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