Former India captain Virat Kohli has shown excellent form in the ongoing Asia Cup 2022 as he has hammered two half-centuries in three matches in the tournament including a class knock of 60 against Pakistan on September 4, 2022.
Kohli’s knock came in 44 balls and helped India put up 181/7 in 20 overs which was overhauled by Pakistan in the last over of their innings with 5 wickets to spare. Mohammad Rizwan starred with the bat with 71, while Mohammad Nawaz made 42 runs in 20 balls and picked one wicket to earn the Player of the Match award.
Virat Kohli has been under constant scrutiny for his poor run of form with the bat in the past year and a half the fact that he hasn’t scored a ton since November 2019 has been highlighted in everything that has been said or written about him.
The right-hander recent took a month off from the game, missing the West Indies tour and the Zimbabwe ODIs, and has come back fresher and hungrier for runs in the Asia Cup and he has shown glimpses of his old self as fluidity in his batting returns.
“Never really paid attention to these things (answering the critics). I have played for 14 years and it doesn’t happen by chance. My job is to work hard on my game, something that I am keen to do, keen to improve for my team and that’s something that I am going to continue to do so.
Everyone is doing their job (critics). Our job is to play the game, work hard, give our 120 percent. As long as I am doing that and the team has faith it in that, what happens in the change room that matters to us, to me as well. People have their opinions, and that’s absolutely fine. That doesn’t change my happiness as a person,” he said in the post-match presser.
Kohli is India’s leading run-getter in Asia Cup 2022 with 154 runs at an average of 77 and a strike rate of 126.23.
Kohli added that the dressing room environment was very welcoming when he returned from the break and he has once again begun to enjoy his game.
“I took some time away, put things in perspective and it’s given me a kind of relaxation that this is not the be-all-and-end-all of life. I have realized in life that I can’t put so much pressure of expectations on myself that I am not express myself. That’s not why I started playing the game. I was able to find that excitement back.
When I came here, the environment was very welcoming, and the camaraderie with the boys is amazing. The environment in the team is amazing, I am absolutely loving playing all over again and feel good regarding my batting,” he added.
India faces Sri Lanka in their next match on September 6 which is a must-win for them to remain in contention for the final.
(India Today inputs)
