In the first ODI against Sri Lanka, Virat Kohli produced a batting masterclass to script India’s comprehensive 67-run victory.
Batting at No. 3, the former India skipper slammed 113 off 87 balls with 12 fours and 1 six. It was Kohli’s back-to-back hundred in ODIs and his 45th ton in the 50-over format. He is now four centuries away from equalling the legendary Sachin Tendulkar’s record tally of 49 ODI hundreds.
Reflecting on Kohli’s performance, veteran off-spinner R Ashwin said the star batter’s Test and T20 game was ‘mainly based’ on his success in ODIs and lack of that format in recent years has had an effect on his form.
“ODI cricket is the place where he brought the genius in him to full flow. Many of them won’t understand this flow. After Covid, we are seeing more Test cricket and T20 cricket. ODI cricket is played very rarely. We are not getting the same flow of ODI cricket. Virat Kohli is one of those cricketers who has been playing continuously for a long time now,” Ashwin said on his YouTube channel.
“So, a mental reset is really important for anyone. Sometimes, he has been given a break during some inconsequential series. But both his Test cricket and T20 cricket have been built mainly based on his ODI cricket success. In fact, when he is playing ODI cricket itself, he will get that Test routine and the Test flow. Our recent conversation was also about this topic only and he agreed with me. Both our team and him haven’t played many ODI cricket in the recent past. India won the first ODI comfortably, agreed,” he added.
Before the Asia Cup 2022, questions were raised over Virat Kohli’s place in the Indian team as he was enduring an extended lean patch. However, the veteran campaigner silenced his critics by finishing the six-team competition as the second highest run-getter with 276 runs to his name from five innings.
During the tournament, Virat also ended his much-talked-about century drought as he slammed 122* off 61 balls in India’s last Super-4 clash against Afghanistan.
After regaining his form in the Asia Cup, Kohli started dominating bowling attacks once again. He had a great time in the 2022 T20 World Cup Down Under, amassing 296 runs at a staggering average of 98.66 and at a decent strike rate of 136.40 with four half-centuries, including a memorable 53-ball 82* against Pakistan in India's opening fixture.
During the Bangladesh tour last month, Kohli smashed a century in the third ODI while he notched up his 73rd international ton against Sri Lanka in Guwahati last week.
Having won the first two ODIs, Team India have taken an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series against Sri Lanka. The third and final ODI is due to be held in Thiruvananthapuram on January 15.
