Perth : Virat Kohli made his return to international cricket for the first time since India’s Champions Trophy victory, as the Men in Blue face hosts Australia in the opening ODI of the three-match series at Optus Stadium. Kohli reveals his diligent preparation during his 20-year cricket journey.
Ahead of the first game, Kohli, who has retired from the T20Is and Test cricket, mentioned that he has kept himself fit despite a long gap in playing, as Kohli reveals 20-year cricket journey has taught him the importance of fitness.
Speaking to Fox Sports during a chat with Ravi Shastri and Adam Gilchrist before the first ODI, the former India captain said, “Well, to be honest, the amount of cricket I’ve played over the last 15-20 years, I’ve actually not rested at all, if that makes sense. I’ve probably played the most number of games in the last 15 years in international cricket, combining the IPL together as well. So for me, it was a very refreshing time off.”
Fitness and Readiness Key in Kohli’s Return to International Cricket
While many experts and pundits believed Kohli’s fitness was a concern ahead of his return to competitive cricket, the 36-year-old said that he was feeling ‘fitter than ever,’ adding that it’s all about physical preparation because mentally, he knew ‘what to do.’ As Kohli 20-year cricket journey insights, he emphasizes mental strength in overcoming challenges.
“I’m feeling as fit, if not fitter than I’ve ever been before, and yeah, you can just feel the freshness when you know you can play the game, and mentally you know what to do out there; it’s just that I need to take care of the physical preparation,” he added.
“At this stage I realised that if my body is fit and my reflexes are sharp, I can fully match my game awareness with my physical readiness. I actively maintain that balance. I live my life like that, and yeah, no issues at all. I’m feeling fresh here coming into Australia, and I’m moving really well in the nets and during fielding sessions as well, so everything is going smoothly so far,” Kohli remarked. Kohli reveals 20-year cricket journey where balance and discipline have been crucial.
Kohli announced his T20I retirement last year following India’s victory at the ICC T20 World Cup. Earlier this year, he also retired from Test cricket, putting an end to a memorable and remarkable career.
–IANS
