Fresh from his record-breaking century against the West Indies, Virat Kohli revealed that his sustained success in ODI cricket has been driven by a commitment to the team’s cause rather than a pursuit of personal milestones.
Fresh off a historic hundred in Trivandrum, Indian batter Virat Kohli opened up on his unremitting success in one-day cricket, saying his drive to deliver for India over chasing personal milestones has helped the team win.
At the series-opening ODI between India and West Indies, Kohli smashed an unbeaten 139 off 88 deliveries at a strike rate of 157.95. He smashed a couple of records, including completing 15,000 ODI runs.
‘You can’t play for that long for numbers’
Speaking to BCCI.tv, Kohli said his longevity and success came from prioritising team success over personal accomplishments, adding that a player cannot sustain a lengthy career if they chase individual records, as it would mean compromising the team’s objectives.
“You can only play for that long if you’re looking to make the team win. You can’t play for that long for numbers. Because if you need to get numbers, you will compromise on the main goal, and you can’t play for long in that manner.
“So, I’m lucky to have been in this position for so long, and of course, a big number like that to tick off along the way to another win is quite special,” Kohli said.
More from FirstcricketThe veteran Indian batter added that personal milestones are gratifying, but his real goal has been to guide his nation towards victories by delivering when the team needs him most.
Kohli’s drive led India towards an 8-wicket win
After opting to bowl first against the West Indies in Trivandrum, spinner Kuldeep Yadav demolished the opposition batters with a 4/40 spell in ten overs. Batters John Campbell’s 62, Justin Greaves’ 101 and Amir Jangoo’s unbeaten 58 helped them reach 295/7 in 50 overs on the scoreboard.
India started with a productive counter-attack, with Rohit Sharma scoring 32. Captain Shubman Gill and Kohli’s partnership anchored the chase as they reached their respective hundreds in the 1st ODI.
Kohli carried the team towards a smashing eight-wicket victory, taking a 1-0 lead in the ongoing series. The second ODI match will take place on Wednesday, September 30, at the ACA Stadium in Guwahati.