India vs South Africa: Long May Virat Kohli Continue to Enjoy His Cricket

India vs South Africa: The king of comebacks, that is Virat Kohli, is not done with cricket just yet. Thankfully.

India vs South Africa: The king of comebacks, that is Virat Kohli.

(Photo: BCCI)

Mithali Raj had strolled out of the commentary box after a long stint. Indian openers Pratika Rawal and Smriti Mandhana were taking the New Zealand bowlers to the cleaners, and a victory seemed certain. The chatter in the press box, however, had very less to do with the game that was unfolding in Navi Mumbai, but what had happened earlier in the day in Adelaide.

What had happened?

Virat Kohli had been dismissed for a duck. Again. A second consecutive zero, and suddenly the whispers about his international future were swelling into declarations. Had someone combed through the clacking keyboards at the DY Patil Stadium, they might have found at least one journalist drafting a farewell tribute to Kohli instead of a match report on India vs New Zealand.

Mithali, visibly disappointed, commented: “Another duck today. This is unfortunate. I think I got very lucky that I never had back-to-back ducks. Hope he bounces back from this.”

The King of Comebacks

That became the question of the nation. Not the 2027 ODI World Cup — that felt galaxies away. Not a hundred hundreds — even farther. Not Tendulkar’s records, not trophies. The only question was — will Virat Kohli bounce back? Or, can he? Does he still have it?

But when has he not, at least in the 50-over format? But, when has he not? At least in the 50-over game?

Prior to the Australian series, Kohli’s last duck in ODIs was against England in November 2023, at the World Cup. Less than 72 hours later, he scored a match-winning 88 against Sri Lanka.

Or, have we forgotten January 2022, when a duck against South Africa in Paarl was followed by a 65? Or, December 2019, where he scored an 85 to make amends for a duck against West Indies? Or, how the foundation for the patten was laid way back in 2010, where Kohli followed his maiden ODI duck with an 82?

The former Indian captain has 18 ODI ducks to his name, which is the joint third-highest figure for an Indian, behind only Sachin Tendulkar and Javagal Srinath. On an incredible nine of those occasions, he has made a comeback with a century or a half-century immediately after a zero.

All of Virat Kohli’s Cricket Is Mental

One of those occasions was a couple of days back, where he scored a 120-ball 135 against South Africa — his 52^nd ODI hundred, and 82^nd overall.

How does he do it every other time? A detailed, data-aided thesis could be written. But it would miss the point, for Kohli’s essence lies in his mental fortitude, as he said after the game:

All my cricket has been mental. As long as I feel mentally I can play the game, I work physically very hard every day of my life. It's got nothing to do with cricket anymore. It's the way I live. So, as long as my fitness levels are up and my mental enjoyment and sharpness is there, when you can visualize the game and you see yourself running as hard, reacting fast on the ball, then you know it's fine.

Virat Kohli

120%, Every Match

One could understand Rohit Sharma’s desire to lift an ODI World Cup. It is, indeed, the pinnacle of cricketing achievement that no number of T20 World Cup, Champions Trophy or Asia Cup will suffice.

Kohli, though, won it when he was 23. Now at 37, he admittedly relishes nothing more than being the ideal family man, settled thousands of miles and tends of nations away from the chaotic Delhi that he was born in.

Why, though, still he finds reason in showing up in Ranchi earlier than expected, when he acknowledges that cricket is all but only a part of his life, and not the life in its entirety?

Because he bears responsibility. And with that, comes commitment.

I've said it many times before, if I'm arriving somewhere, I'll arrive 120%. I wanted to get hold of the conditions a little bit. Bat a couple of sessions in the daylight and then one session in the evening and then my prep work was done. I took a day off before the game. I'm 37, so I also need to look after the recovery. But the thing is that, you know, I visualize the game a lot in my mind. And as long as, when I think about the game, when I visualize it, if I see myself being as intense, as sharp, you know, taking the fielders on, taking the bowlers on, then I know I'm in a good space and I kind of can relax and just play out there.

Virat Kohli

Sunday’s knock proved that the Australia series had little effect on Kohli, for his demeanour was more attacking than in recent times. Despite Yashasvi Jaiswal being dismissed early, Kohli’s strike rate inside the powerplay was over run-a-ball, and he took 48 deliveries to bring up his half-century.

In typical Kohli fashion, the gears slowed when required — particularly after India lost Ruturaj Gaikwad and Washington Sundar in quick succession. Then, in the very over after bringing up his century, the gears roared back to life as he plundered 21 runs off Prenelan Subrayen.

Reflecting on Kohli’s enduring hunger, JioHotstar expert Dale Steyn observed:

A key thing he said is that he’s excited about playing. When you speak to most 37 or 38-year-olds, they say they hate leaving home, their dog, their kids. But he’s in a place mentally where he’s eager to be out there playing for India. You can see it when he’s running between the wickets, fielding and diving. He’s mentally young, fresh, and wants to be here.

Dale Steyn

Kohli, too, mentioned something similar, when he said:

It's just me and the ball coming at me. I just enjoy the game of cricket, which was the very reason I started playing this game.

Virat Kohli

The nation, collectively, can only hope that he continues to enjoy the game of cricket.