Virat Kohli: back to rejuvenation

The angry young man and one of the leading stars of Indian cricket nowadays, Virat Kohli has come a long way from being a party animal and a fashion icon. The 118 he scored in humid conditions and under so much pressure is a testimony to his maturity that comes with experience and age. For a long time, the Delhi player has been in the reckoning for Indian honours, but his temperament at crucial times needed a twist. It is only in recent times that he has shown a cool head and given cricket and his game the respect that it deserves.

Kohli: a big relief

In 2005, he played a sensational knock of 251 against Himachal Pradesh in the U-17 Championships. He debuted in the Ranji Trophy in the 2006-07 season and was made the captain of Delhi in the beginning of 2008. As captain of the U19 team that claimed the World Cup in Malaysia the same year, he played his cards well, instilled a sense of belief among his young crop and brought home the trophy. Yet, it was this limelight that stole things away from him. Regardless of showers of praise by commentators and experts on his prospects, he consistently failed to utilize his opportunities and score big. His facial expressions of anger and disappointment had become a consistent feature. As such, for most of this while, he remained in the fringes.

He himself had confessed that the Indian Premier League (IPL) had lured him into the parties and distractions that is so central to the tournament. And that showed. Only recently has Kohli realised the value of keeping focus in his game, and in cricket.

“I was struggling with cramps in my 70s and 80s. I just wanted to drag the game as much as I could to put my team in a winning position. Vijay suggested that I just time the ball than hit it too hard. He helped calm me down. With Yuvraj batting at the other end, it’s always helpful because he can score quickly and take the pressure off you. We just decided to build a partnership and bank on the Powerplay. The team has shown trust in me to bat at No.3 and I’ll just look to capitalise. Once the dew came in, the ball was coming on quite nicely and we tried to take advantage on that.” This coming from a man who now knows the value of the game, and his position.

Other contemporaries of his like the Suresh Rainas, the Rohit Sharmas and the Murali Vijays have all excelled and are now looking to utlilise all opportunities to show the world their flashy brilliance. Kohli had got countless chances to do the same, but it is the recent Champions League and yesterday’s mighty knock that finally places him in a position that would allow him to showcase his talent, of what he was never in dearth of.

The 118 was indeed a big relief for him for this was more than all his seven previous innings put together. Indian cricket is in good hands; with Cheteshwar Pujara breathing down his neck, and cutthroat competition among the rest in the middle order slots in all formats, this becomes a good problem to have. Yet, more or less Kohli has cemented his place in the Indian one-day squad, and why not? Yet, he does not think so.

“I don’t believe I have cemented my place in the team. I have to keep performing consistently in the matches to come. Maybe, later in the future I can think if my place is permanent or not.”

One would hope for more of such innings, and frequently.