Virat Kohli will not feature in the upcoming ODI and T20 series vs Sri Lanka and justified his need for rest during the post-match press conference after the final Test match of this series.
Indian captain Virat Kohli justified his need for rest during the post-match press conference after the final Test match of this series.
Indian captain Virat Kohli justified his need for rest during the post-match press conference after the final Test match of this series.(AP)
Virat Kohli on Wednesday justified his call to go for a break stating that his body requires it at the moment, given he’s been playing non-stop for the past 48 months.
The Indian cricket team skipper, who slammed two double hundreds and a century in the recently-concluded three-match Test series that India bagged 1-0, will not feature in the upcoming ODI and T20 series vs Sri Lanka.
Speaking at the post-match ceremony, Kohli said: “The last time I took rest, it was difficult to handle. But my body is asking for it right now. The workload has been massive, I have been playing non-stop for the last 48 months; I need rest.
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“My body has taken a toll in the last couple of years. Right now is the perfect time to rest before the tour of South Africa,” he added.
Kohli accumulated 610 runs in the three matches and took the No 2 spot in the ICC Test rankings among batsmen. He had started the series at No 6 but went past David Warner, Cheteshwar Pujara, Kane Williamson and Joe Root following his form with the bat.
However, Kohli attributed his pace of scoring runs to a revelation with the bat that helped him realise he can score at around the same pace in Tests as in the other two formats. Kohli’s 243 runs in the first innings came off just 287 deliveries and was studded with 25 boundaries.
“On the personal front, I was hitting the ball very well and it was kind of a revelation that I can play and hit balls in Tests the way I can do in ODIs. That was something I always hesitated to do but this made me realise that you can push the game forward even in Test cricket,” he said.
Experts have showered praise on the swashbuckling batsman; with a few even touting him to go past a few records set by the legendary Sachin Tendulkar. Kohli’s recent double hundred was also the sixth scored by a captain — the highest after he went past Brian Lara (5).
On being asked if milestones matter anymore, Kohli said: “When I was not a captain, it was difficult to think of situations all the time. When I was finding my feet in Test cricket, I was under pressure. When I got to a milestone, I sort of relaxed. Now, it’s a lot different.
“Now as a captain I have to keep to batting on and on even after I reach hundred or 150 and push forward to put up as many runs on board as possible, or if I am batting in the second innings to create a situation where the bowler can get extra overs to bowl the opposition out later.”
While Kohli won’t feature in the series against Sri Lanka, reports that he might tie the knot with Bollywood actress Anushka Sharma in Italy in the coming week.
Hindi Times, Mumbai
