Cricket: India's Kohli Makes a Strong Comeback with Match-Winning Century

 

Virat Kohli silenced his critics in impressive fashion, scoring a match-winning century in India's crucial Champions Trophy match against long-time rivals Pakistan on Sunday.

The modern batting legend remained not out at 100, helping India chase down 242 comfortably and securing their second consecutive victory in the tournament. This win puts India on the brink of clinching a spot in the semi-finals.

In this innings, Kohli also reached the landmark of 14,000 ODI runs, becoming only the third player to do so after Sachin Tendulkar and Kumar Sangakkara. Remarkably, he achieved this in fewer innings than both of those cricketing icons.

Kohli’s Strategy

"It feels great to contribute in such a significant match, where we were aiming to secure our place in the semi-finals," said Kohli, who was awarded Player of the Match for his remarkable performance.

"My mission was clear – to manage the middle overs, attack the seam bowlers when possible, and rotate the strike against the spinners without taking unwarranted risks."

After India lost captain Rohit Sharma in the fifth over, Kohli formed important partnerships with Shubman Gill (46) and Shreyas Iyer (56).

"Once we established a solid partnership, Shreyas picked up the pace, and I found a few boundaries towards the end," he added. "This is how I generally approach ODI cricket, so I was pleased to execute my strategy."

A Return to Form

Kohli stepped back from T20 Internationals after India's success in the T20 World Cup last year, but his performance in Test cricket had been under scrutiny. Nevertheless, under significant pressure against Pakistan, he displayed his experience, calmness, and skill to lead India to victory with a brilliantly constructed century.

"I have cultivated a good understanding of my game over the years," he remarked, reflecting on his performance.

India's next challenge will be against New Zealand on March 2, and Kohli welcomed the upcoming break.

"At 36, I genuinely appreciate this week off," he said with a grin. "It requires a lot of effort for me to maintain this level of intensity on the field, so I’ll be taking some time to relax for a couple of days."

Rohit Sharma: "We Anticipated This Moment"

India's captain Rohit Sharma was not surprised by Kohli's resurgence in form.

"This is what he excels at," Rohit stated. "No one in the dressing room is surprised by his performance."

With Kohli back in top form and India moving closer to the semi-finals, the team's confidence is high as they prepare for future challenges.