ICC Champions Trophy: Not Like Us ft. Virat Kohli – You Can't Fake Influence

Virat Kohli is box office. We knew it before, we have been taught all over again.

ICC Champions Trophy 2025 India vs Pakistan: Virat Kohli scored 100

(Photo: PTI/X)

In a game played by 22, representing two nations with a combined population exceeding 1.7 billion, what justifies a dedicated spotlight on one individual? Especially, when he isn’t even the captain of either side?

Every twitch of a muscle, every flicker of an expression, every guffaw and every grimace – all that Virat Kohli did on 23 February, at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, was scrutinised, dissected, and analysed.

Not that his form warranted special attention. Kohli had scored only 137 runs in his last six ODIs. Add to that, a forgettable Border Gavaskar Trophy, and to rub salt into the wounds, a no-show in the Ranji Trophy punishment posting.

A few hours later, the questions were answered. Virat Kohli scored his 82^nd international century. His last ODI century came in the semi-final of the 2023 ICC ODI World Cup, with this arriving at the ICC Champions Trophy. Against Pakistan, no less.

As if to say, box office matches demand box office players. Virat Kohli is box office.

The Context

A bit of contextualisation will be of essence here. Not that the Indian team required a heroic rescue act on Sunday like in Melbourne, for, the match was already heavily inclined in India’s favour by the time Kohli had his turn to claim the spotlight, which, of course, he already had in abundance.

Pakistan, in a manner that has been ever so familiar in recent times, were skittled out for 241 on a track that demanded much more. The last eight wickets fell in a span of 90 runs.

242 was never going to be a tall ask. Whatever sliver of hope Pakistan had evaporated when India stormed to 31 runs in the first five overs, even if it came at the cost of skipper Rohit Sharma’s wicket.

An Iconic Moment

211 runs were required from 45 overs when Kohli walked out. In other words, the ideal Kohli settings. There wasn’t any need to be aggressive, resulting in the first boundary coming off the 16^th delivery he faced.

It was an iconic moment for a couple of reasons. From the technical perspective, it was perhaps the most consummate version of the cover drive – a shot that he, justifiably so, has been criticised for frequently resorting to.

After the match, he would say:

It's a Catch 22. I mean, it has kind of been my weakness as well over the years, but I've scored a lot of runs on that shot. I think today was just about backing my shots, and I think the first couple of boundaries I got were cover drives on the rise, so I really had to just let it go a little bit and take a bit of risk and follow through with my shots. Because when I hit that kind of shots, then I feel in control when I bat out there. So, it was a good innings for me personally and it was a great team win.

Virat Kohli

Beyond the cricketing aesthetics, however, it marked the addition of another accolade to Kohli’s collection. He had become the fastest to reach 14000 ODI runs, beating Sachin Tendulkar’s record – not by a mile, but by a chasm.

Fastest to 14000 ODI runs:

• Virat Kohli – 287 innings

• Sachin Tendulkar – 350 innings

• Kumar Sangakkara – 378 innings

The second boundary arrived merely four deliveries later, with another pristine cover drive. Kohli, though, would then exercise caution.

A Plan Executed

Reason? Pakistan tried to bait him with spin from both ends, in Abrar Ahmed and Khushdil Shah. And, since 2024, all of his dismissals in ODIs have been against spinners – Rishad Hossain, Adil Rashid, Dunith Wellalage, Jeffrey Vandersay, Wanindu Hasaranga.

That, there wasn’t any dearth of clarity, was evident. Kohli would later clarify his rationale, albeit whilst praising his partner Shubman Gill for keeping the scoreboard ticking.

Reason? Pakistan tried to bait him with spin from both ends, in Abrar Ahmed and Khushdil Shah. And, since 2024, all of his dismissals in ODIs have been against spinners – Rishad Hossain, Adil Rashid, Dunith Wellalage, Jeffrey Vandersay, Wanindu Hasaranga. That, there wasn’t any dearth of clarity, was evident. Kohli would later clarify his rationale, albeit whilst praising his partner Shubman Gill for keeping the scoreboard ticking.

Virat Kohli

The Records

As it turned out to be, only one of Kohli’s seven boundaries came against a spinner. It was also the most notable – in the third delivery of the 43^rd over, he danced down the track to caress the ball through extra cover off Khushdil Shah’s bowling, securing both India’s qualification to the semi-finals, and his 82^nd ODI century.

Another chase where the par excellence chaser showed his caliber, as he now is only 87 runs shy of becoming the first-ever batter in the sport’s history to score 6000 ODI runs while chasing in a winning cause.

Most ODI runs while chasing (in a winning cause):

• Virat Kohli – 5913

• Sachin Tendulkar – 5490

• Rohit Sharma – 4476

• Ricky Ponting – 4186

• Jacques Kallis – 3950

As a footnote, let it be mentioned that Kohli also tops the T20I chart for this statistic, with 1651 runs whilst chasing in a winning cause.

The records didn’t stop there. With this century, he won his fifth Player of the Match award in an ICC event between India and Pakistan – the most by any player.

Kohli’s POTM awards vs Pakistan in ICC events:

• 78* (61) – 2012 T20 World Cup

• 107 (126) – 2015 ODI World Cup

• 55* (37) – 2016 T20 World Cup

• 82* (53) – 2022 T20 World Cup

• 100* (109) – 2025 Champions Trophy

'They Tried to Rig the Game but You Can’t Fake Influence'

Such was Kohli’s brilliance that, following the match, Pakistani fans opted to cheer for his ton by ditching sulking over their team’s terrible display.

Performing his universally famed song ‘Not Like Us’ during the Super Bowl LIX’s half-time show, American rapper Kendrick Lamar said “They tried to rig the game but they can't fake influence.”

Muhammad Ali fought against suspension for refusing to fight in Vietnam. Michael Jordan braced the Jordan Rules. Lewis Hamilton conquered an elitist sport that had erstwhile very little room for diversity. Serena Williams battled tennis’ bourgeoisie traditions to attain legendary status.

And Virat Kohli? He simply turned up, just when he had to.

You can’t fake influence.