The world around his is obsessed with numbers. Every match he plays, numbers are thrown up leading to comparisons among the modern-day batting greats. When his numbers are analyzed the comparison does not last long as he is way ahead of the pack. Virat Kohli has staggering 47 international centuries. When it comes to most centuries, only Sachin Tendulkar is ahead.
As he spoke to the media ahead of the ODI series against Australia, he was even asked about the possibility of getting 100 hundreds. The Indian captain's answer may not have provided juicy headlines, but it certainly gave an insight into his methodology. Virat said he gives no extra attention to individual landmarks and thus ends up getting more hundreds. "I don't play for the three-figure mark maybe that's why I end up crossing it more times, because I am not thinking about it," he said on the eve of India's first ODI against Australia.
"So, I don't put myself under pressure in terms of 'I need to achieve a landmark'. For me what's most important is to win the match for the team. As I said before, even if I am 98 not out or 99 not out, I don't mind, as long as I win the game. In that process, things end up happening because you want to stay till the end."
He added that his goal has always been to stay till the end until the finish line is crossed. "If there is enough runs on the board, you end up achieving those landmarks, because you are thinking of that result, not about you reaching that landmark. Whatever time I play - eight years, 10 years, 12 years whatever it is - I will never think of that because it just doesn't come to me naturally. For me what's most important is how I can help the team win with the bat and in the field, giving my 120 percent every time I step onto the field and preparing accordingly."
It was nothing short of a run-fest when the two sides clashed in the home series the last time. With Chennai hosting the first match, the Sunday encounter is expected to be a high-scoring affair. Virat said on pitches when runs are on offer, saving 15-20 would make a big difference. "Look, if it is happening on both sides [to India and Australia bowlers], then obviously you have to understand the wickets are really good to play. And even saving 10-15 runs can actually make a difference. If the wicket is good to bat on, then you are setting expectations that could not be achieved."
He said that in such a scenario the bowlers must be backed. "I don't think you can pressurize the bowlers too much in that regard [of containing big scores]. Yeah, I mean, [with] the two new balls, especially in the subcontinent, [it] becomes difficult for the bowlers to get wickets at regular intervals. They just have to be smart in patches to get the total down."
Though Axar Patel was ruled out of the three ODIs on Saturday after spraining his ankle, India were not pushed on the backfoot as they have two wrist spinners – Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal – in their ranks. Ravindra Jadeja, who was rested, has been named as Axar’s replacement. Virat said that having two wrist spinners was a big boost. “It is a great advantage to have two wrist spinners in your team, especially when both are so different to each other and both can pick up wickets in the middle overs,” he said.
“That is the most important thing in one-day cricket. You can have as many dot balls as you want but if you can’t pick up wickets, you can go for 10-12 runs an over for a good 12-over period. It is important to keep picking wickets and have breakthroughs throughout. Those two guys have provided that to us and they are very confident coming into this series. They are in a zone where they don’t mind getting hit as long as they pick up three-four wickets, which I think is a very good space to be in and it’s something that gives me, as a captain, lot of confidence.”
