Kohli played a match-winning knock of 84 in India's Champions Trophy semi-final win over Australia.
India head coach Gautam Gambhir heaped praise on Virat Kohli following his match-winning performance in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 semifinal against Australia, saying that he knows how to plan his runs and adapt to conditions really quickly.
Kohli’s stunning knock of 84 during a run-chase of 265 on a tricky Dubai pitch propelled India from 43/2 to a memorable four-wicket victory, taking India to the final of the showpiece event.
"He is a phenomenal one-day cricketer. He knows how to plan his runs, he knows how to plan, whether he is batting first or chasing and he knows that he adapts to the conditions really quickly and that is why experience and high-quality players are very important and it is the reason why he has got that kind of record in one day cricket and I hope he continues to do that in the future as well," Gambhir said during the post-match presser.
Gambhir was also asked about Kohli’s recent vulnerability to leg-spinners in ODI cricket and the Indian coach defended the star batter by saying that if one plays 300 ODIs for India, he will get out to some spinners.
"I think he has got a hundred in this competition, he has got a ninety (eighty) in this competition and eventually, when you have got runs in this competition, you will eventually get out to some kind of a bowler. So rather than dissecting and bisecting that he has got out to leg spin and then when you have played 300 ODIs, you will eventually get out to certain kinds of bowlers and that is okay," he added.
Gambhir further stated that despite Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma’s lack of runs in Tests, there were never doubts over their ability in the 50-over format.
"They have been exceptional players in this format. They have done it for so many years. So, we had no doubt that they are going to deliver come the big tournaments. And they have exactly done that in this competition. So, there was no doubt about their ability, about their experience and about the kind of experience they bring to the table and the kind of calibre and the kind of hunger they bring to the dressing room. So, there was no doubt about it what they could do and what they did in this competition," he remarked.
India will now face the winner of the second semi-final between South Africa and New Zealand in the title clash at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Sunday (March 9).
(With ANI Inputs)