When I play freely, then I know I can hit sixes – Virat Kohli

Virat Kohli blasted an unbeaten 45-ball-65 in India’s formidable pursuit last night, propelling them across the finishing line. He rocked six fours and three sixes to play a massive hand in India’s rampant win. He also bagged the Player of the Series award for his mind-blowing tally of 302 runs, comprising two centuries and a half-century.

Kohli whacked Corbin Bosch twice for two staggering maximums while Ottniel Baartman found himself at the receiving end of another overwhelming over-boundary. Talking at the post-match presentation, Virat Kohli opened up on the mindset which helped him to smack those sixes for fun while picking his favourite knock of the series.

Kohli highlighted his innings at Vizag, stating, “When I play freely, then I know I can hit sixes. So, I just wanted to have some fun because I was batting well, just take a bit more risk. Just push my own boundaries and see where we go. There's always levels you can unlock and you just need to take a risk.”

Picking his favourite knock of the series, Kohli added, “The first one at Ranchi because I hadn't played a game since Australia. Just to come out and you know when you start hitting the ball well. And also, just how your energy is on the day. You just feel so confident of taking risks. And when they come off, of course, it unlocks, as I said, that zone as a batsman which you are craving for. So, Ranchi was very special for me because it just opened me up in a way that I haven't felt for a while. I am just grateful for how these three games have gone.”

He concluded by talking about his presence as a senior in the team alongside Rohit Sharma comes as a massive boost for the whole team. He said, “ It's always brought the best out of us over the years. That's what we play our cricket for. You don't want it to be 1-1. But when it is 1-1 and it's a decider, you get excited. I want to make a play today. I want to make a dent into the game. And I want to do something special for the team. That's what we have always done over so many years. And that's why we have been able to play for so long. Because we have always been aligned to what the team needs. And what we can do with our skill sets according to the situation. And, just happy that both of us (Rohit and himself) continue to do so even now and help the team.”