As suggested by reports, Virat Kohli was forced to change his mind and nod to participation in the upcoming Vijay Hazare Trophy after the BCCI was displeased with his comments following the comeback century in Ranchi.
Indian legend Virat Kohli would have never thought that he would be threatened with retirement woes or asked to play domestic cricket to keep his place in the ODI team. Kohli is expected to make his return to domestic cricket following a 15-year gap.
All this despite Kohli showing no signs of slowing down by any factor, like age or lack of fitness. He has registered back-to-back centuries against South Africa to send a loud message about his form as well as his fitness.
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On his return to India, Virat Kohli looked charged up and determined to amaze the home crowd with some swashbuckling hitting. He scored his 52nd ODI century with flawless precision and then declared he did not believe in too much preparation.
“I’ve played 300-odd ODI games and so much cricket over the last 15-16 years. If you can bat an hour and a half, two hours in the nets without taking a break, you’re meeting all the markers. I understand if there’s a dip in form, you look for games and try to get that form back,” Kohli said.
He had also stressed the fact that for him, the focus remained on readiness. Virat Kohli has always been known for his mentality in the game and will be respected for ages for his grit. This is what makes him the modern-day legend of the game.
“As long as you’re hitting the ball well and you’re playing good cricket, at this stage with the experience that I have, for me it’s about being physically fit, mentally ready and excited to play the games that I’m playing. Everything else should take care of itself,” he had added.
What made Virat Kohli change his mind on VHT participation?
After the post-match conference, it never looked like Kohli was ever going to be back in those Delhi shirts; however, just the day after the Ranchi game, the DDCA officials confirmed Virat’s participation in the upcoming Vijay Hazare Trophy.
According to a report in The Indian Express, Virat Kohli’s comments were not taken well by the BCCI, as they had earlier instructed the veteran to participate in the domestic ODI competition.
Kohli’s return to the Indian domestic circuit comes at a time when the Indian selectors have been planning to opt for the long-term ODI future of the senior batters. Kohli, now 37, would be 39 by the time of the next World Cup in 2027.
Rohit Sharma interested in playing SMAT alongside VHT approval
Rohit Sharma, unlike Virat, had quickly agreed to feature in the Vijay Hazare Trophy and had also informed the Mumbai Cricket Association of his availability. However, in a shocking development, one of the MCA officials has claimed that Rohit also desires to play the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy knockouts for Mumbai.
The Times of India reported Rohit’s eagerness to play in the SMAT knockouts, which has raised a question over his most likely return to T20Is. However, it might just be Rohit’s way of managing more gametime for himself to keep his World Cup hopes alive.
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