I just give my heart and soul out there on the field – Virat Kohli
RCB rode high on Virat Kohli’s impactful ninth century as RCB powered to their eighth win of the season, clinching the pole position of the points table after defeating KKR in Raipur. Kohli stayed unbeaten with 105 runs from just 60 balls, achieving the master feat of scoring 14000 runs in T20s - another reminder about his legendary status.
Winning the Player of the Match award for his unbeaten ton, Kohli decoded the strategy behind his fine knock. He also shed light on the mindset of racking up records for fun. He concluded with a powerful message about how he wants to make every day count.
Decoding the blue print behind his ninth IPL century, Kohli said, “Well, just my positions at the crease, you know, not trying to do anything extravagant, just backing my game, hitting a lot of fours, hitting gaps, being clear as to where I wanted to hit sixes, which length I wanted to hit sixes from, and just staying in the game, like running a lot of twos, hitting the boundaries where needed, picking length, hitting the gaps that I know I can hit.”
He further added, “So I was happy for the fact that I was able to back my game and execute the shots that I usually execute to the best of my ability. And that gets me the most consistent, the most risk-free cricket, keeping the demands of the situation always in front of me and the team's need always at the top of my head. So all these factors were very pleasing for me out there.”
Revealing his mindset about breaking records, Kohli added, “Well, I just love batting, even after all this. You know, that's my core feeling. Look, what an honour to be playing at this level. What an honour to be competing with the very best in the world still. This is all I've done all my life. Cricket is absolutely something that I truly love. And I just give my heart and soul out there on the field, whether I'm fielding or batting, because it's going to finish one day.”
Stating further, VK said, “And I want to make the most of every day that I'm on the field and just enjoy myself and have a lot of fun and look forward to a pressure situation, look forward to scenarios where I'm feeling a bit of heat. And then I challenge myself to say, you know what, just go for it. And when you cross the line, it makes you a better player. And sport, as you know, teaches you a lot as a person as well.”
He concluded by saying, “So you build your character slowly and surely when you keep performing under pressure. And for me, even after all these years and numbers and whatever you said, it's still the love for the game. I just love hitting the ball in the middle of the bat. And that joy is still there. And it's all God's grace. And I'm very thankful and grateful.”
