Now a single-format cricketer on the international scene, there have certainly been doubts regarding whether Virat Kohli still maintains the drive and intensity that was such a central characteristic of him as a player in his peak. With ODI cricket being the only format he still participates in, his ability to stay sharp in his late 30s with not too much cricket being played has come under the scanner.
Nevertheless, Kohli’s work-rate and desire to compete are things that can never be questioned. With that in mind, in a BCCI promo video ahead of India’s series against South Africa, Kohli re-committed himself to the team and promised fans that he will never let the standards expected of him to slip.
“I’ve been very sure of the fact that once I make myself available to play, I arrive at my 100% capacity. That’s how I’ve always played my cricket, I’ve never arrived to a series or a tournament at even 95%,” said Kohli in the video, indicating that just because he wouldn’t be playing cricket as frequently as he had been before his retirement from Test and T20 cricket, he would still be ready whenever he is to be called upon.
The ‘balance’ important to find for Kohli
“The will to work and the commitment to put in the work is still as high as it has ever been. Still enjoying my cricket a lot, and very excited to play any sort of series, any sort of cricket that I play,” Kohli added on. While Kohli’s desire to spend time with his family took precedence in his reasoning for stepping away from the other formats, he is aiming to find a balance that would allow him to be at his best for the national team while also not taking away from his commitment to his own personal life.
{{/usCountry}}“The will to work and the commitment to put in the work is still as high as it has ever been. Still enjoying my cricket a lot, and very excited to play any sort of series, any sort of cricket that I play,” Kohli added on. While Kohli’s desire to spend time with his family took precedence in his reasoning for stepping away from the other formats, he is aiming to find a balance that would allow him to be at his best for the national team while also not taking away from his commitment to his own personal life.
{{/usCountry}}“Being in a balanced place is something that helps you to keep your hard work consistent, and that’s the key to playing for a long period of time that regardless of the results, your work, your effort, your commitment does not change,” Kohli explained further.
“I think that’s why after playing 10-15 years you become wiser. My routines cannot depend on results, results are a byproduct of the hard work, and not the other way around,” he expressed.
Kohli’s career and importance to Indian cricket is beyond overstating, as he established himself as the successor to India’s greatest generation of batters and showed that he was the unique kind of player who could dominate across formats and surfaces. Whether Kohli can find the focus with only one format to play is the next challenge that lies for this all-time great.