DUBAI: Sunday’s Asian Cup clash at the Dubai International Stadium will see the resumption of cricket’s ‘greatest rivalry’ when India and Pakistan open their Group A campaign. It will also mark the 100th appearance of talismanic Indian striker Virat Kohli in T20I, and his first international game since playing in the third ODI against England on July 17.
Now set to return to the Indian squad after a month-and-a-half break, Kohli admitted his high intensity on the pitch didn’t come naturally. Despite that feeling, Kohli acknowledged that he pushed himself to get that high intensity on the pitch.
“For me, it has never been abnormal. A lot of people outside and even inside the team ask me how you keep going. I just say one simple thing: I want my team to win. at all costs and if that means I’m out of breath when I leave the pitch, so be it.”
“That’s the kind of preparation I go through, to be able to play like that. Toh woh naturally nahi ho raha tha, aur mujhe push karna pad raha tha (I wasn’t able to get that high intensity naturally, I myself was pushing But I just didn’t know it,” Kohli said in a short teaser video for a full interview posted by BCCI on their social media accounts.
Kohli also spoke of people’s amazement when he shows great intensity on the pitch and logic behind it. “I’m a person who wakes up and says, okay, let’s see what the day has in store for me and be a part of everything I do throughout the day with absolute presence, involvement and happiness. C I’ve always been.”
“People ask me a lot how do you deal with it on the pitch and how do you keep going with such intensity. I just tell them I love playing the game and I love the fact that I have so much to bring to each ball and I would give every inch of energy on the pitch.”
Kohli has been in a prolonged lean spell, having not scored a century in international cricket since November 2019. He has played just 16 games for India this year, four of which were T20Is.
Now set to return to the Indian squad after a month-and-a-half break, Kohli admitted his high intensity on the pitch didn’t come naturally. Despite that feeling, Kohli acknowledged that he pushed himself to get that high intensity on the pitch.
“For me, it has never been abnormal. A lot of people outside and even inside the team ask me how you keep going. I just say one simple thing: I want my team to win. at all costs and if that means I’m out of breath when I leave the pitch, so be it.”
“That’s the kind of preparation I go through, to be able to play like that. Toh woh naturally nahi ho raha tha, aur mujhe push karna pad raha tha (I wasn’t able to get that high intensity naturally, I myself was pushing But I just didn’t know it,” Kohli said in a short teaser video for a full interview posted by BCCI on their social media accounts.
Kohli also spoke of people’s amazement when he shows great intensity on the pitch and logic behind it. “I’m a person who wakes up and says, okay, let’s see what the day has in store for me and be a part of everything I do throughout the day with absolute presence, involvement and happiness. C I’ve always been.”
“People ask me a lot how do you deal with it on the pitch and how do you keep going with such intensity. I just tell them I love playing the game and I love the fact that I have so much to bring to each ball and I would give every inch of energy on the pitch.”
Kohli has been in a prolonged lean spell, having not scored a century in international cricket since November 2019. He has played just 16 games for India this year, four of which were T20Is.
