SportsPosted at: Sep 28 2026 5:23PM


Kohli finds another gear with stunning ODI hundred in Thiruvananthapuram

New Delhi, Sep 28 (UNI) Virat Kohli’s latest ODI hundred had all the hallmarks of his game — discipline and control, but there was something noticeably different about it — greater intent,
more freedom and a willingness to take the game on from the outset.
After smashing a record-breaking nine sixes in his unbeaten century against the West Indies in the series opener in Trivandrum on Sunday, Kohli said he wants to keep pushing himself in the format without losing the humility that has shaped his long career.

The 74-ball hundred was Kohli’s third-fastest in ODIs and his 30th century while chasing. It also took him past 15,000 runs in the format.
Yet, despite the milestones, Kohli insisted he has never been driven by numbers.

“Just keeping my head down, working hard, and thanking God for everything that I've been blessed with and the opportunities that I've gotten in my life to be where I am,” he said. “We have a very blessed life and a blessed journey because so many people want to be here, but we get to be the lucky ones.
“So, we better put our head down and just work hard every day of our lives,” he added.

The calmer approach was in total contrast to the aggression he showed once he walked out to bat. Before that, Kohli had been unusually subdued, keeping his emotions in check as India chose to bowl under clear skies and intense heat.

Once the chase began, however, the talismanic batter let his shots do the talking. He hit nine sixes, the most he has struck in an ODI innings, with the first coming just four deliveries into his knock. He also won a personal battle with Alzarri Joseph, taking 53 runs from 26 balls against the West Indies fast bowler.

Kohli combined those attacking strokes with his trademark rotation of the strike, but unlike some
of his traditional ODI innings, he never really slowed down. He said that has come from a clearer understanding of his game and the importance of staying physically and mentally fresh.

“I've never been a guy who practiced a lot, even when I was playing all three formats, as you know. So, it's just for me about staying mentally fresh, staying in the present moment and just expressing myself really out there to play in a certain way, get used to this template more often,” the batting genius said.

At 38, Kohli is in a phase of his career where he feels he still has something new to work on. The challenge of increasing his scoring rate, he said, has helped him approach batting with a freer mindset.

“I've got a challenge at this stage of my career to kind of up the ante and play a gear or two higher, and yeah, that was exciting for me to work on. Again, it excites you when you have to unlock a new version at this stage of your career, which will eventually help any team that you play for, be it playing for India or in the IPL. It's really helped me a lot to play with a free mind, and I think that's what's working for me,” he said.

“But I think to follow a free mind, you need a fit body. So, for me it works the other way around.
I stay physically fit and then I'm able to visualise the game in the way that I want to play, which allows me the best chance to go out there and execute in the way that I did tonight,” he further stated.

His approach also drew praise from captain Shubman Gill, who shared a prolific partnership with him during the chase. Gill played a more classical innings, using the pace and bounce of the pitch well, but admired the freedom with which Kohli is now batting.

“He’s batting superbly, and I think he's enjoying the game a lot more, playing with freedom and enjoying the game,” Gill said after the game. “And I think those are the effects of his batting. He always had the game, he always had the ability to clear the boundary at will, and I think he's doing that right now”.
Kohli, however, stressed that attacking intent cannot come at the cost of judgment. His aim is to keep playing positively while avoiding unnecessary risks.

“I'm going to continue to play like that, but not be reckless. There's a fine line which, as a professional, as an experienced player, I should have the ability to execute in this way without playing reckless shots and get the team through,” he said.

For all his achievements, Kohli returned to the importance of staying grounded. He said fame, attention and expectations can make it easy for players to lose sight of where they started,
something he tries to guard against.

“That's something that we tend to forget when we are caught up with the hustle of the world and the positions we get into with so much attention and fame and so much love from the fans. “It can be very easy to forget where you came from. But I think just looking back at the journey from when you started as a child just makes you feel grateful. I enjoy each and every minute that I'm out there playing for India, because I understand that, as I said, there could have been a possibility that I wouldn't be standing here. I wouldn't have played for India at all. That could have been my reality as well.

“But I'm getting to live all these amazing moments representing my country, playing in front of such big crowds and doing the job for the team. As a cricket player, this is all that I dreamt of, and I'm getting it. So, I have nothing but gratitude in my heart, and, as I said, I just want to put my head down, keep working hard, put a smile on my face, and hopefully make other people smile too,” he reiterated.

That was also the message he wanted to leave for younger players, urging them to focus on the demands of the game once they step onto the field.

“Don't think a lot about all the other stuff outside of the field. Once you enter the ground, this is everything, and it should be everything for you guys. And just put your body on the line.

“As I said, put your head down. If you have to run four doubles in an over when you're batting at 150, you have to do it. There are no excuses,” the former skipper said.
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