Another peak at 36? Virat Kohli says liberated mindset driving best phase in years

He knew it. Virat Kohli acknowledged he was probably in one of the best phases of his decorated ODI career after winning the Player of the Series award in India’s 2–1 victory over South Africa. Speaking after collecting the top honour in the three-match contest, Kohli was glowing with delight, with clarity and freedom in his mind shining through the smiles on his face.
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Kohli has scaled some scarcely believable peaks in ODIs, yet he said the way he batted against South Africa was his best in the last two or three years.
IND v SA, 3rd ODI Updates | Scorecard
Freed from the baggage of Test cricket — where he had been scrutinised for a drastic dip in form — after retiring from the format earlier this year, Kohli looked a man possessed, a familiar force, as he amassed 302 runs at an average close to 150 in the series. He struck two hundreds and an unbeaten 65 in the finale, topping 300 runs in a three-match bilateral ODI series for the first time in his career.
“Well, honestly, just playing the way I have in this series has been the most satisfying thing for me. I don’t think I’ve played at this level for a good two, three years now, and I feel really free in my mind. The whole game is coming together nicely,” Kohli said after receiving the Player of the Series award for a record-extending 12th time in his career.
“Very exciting to build on, and something that I have always tried to do as a player — maintain my own standards that I’ve set for myself and play at the level where I can make an impact for the team,” he added.
It is a bold statement from Kohli, considering he scored 765 runs at last year’s World Cup at an average of 95.62 in 11 matches, breaking Sachin Tendulkar’s record for the most runs in a single edition of the tournament.
Some fans have even labelled this period better than his peak between 2017 and 2019, when he hit 17 ODI hundreds in 65 innings — a century every 3.8 innings.
With another record-breaking series, Kohli has proven beyond doubt that he is fit and raring to feature in India’s plans for the 2027 ODI World Cup. Questions were raised about Kohli and Rohit Sharma’s prospects of being part of the set-up in late 2027, by which time they would be 38 and 40 respectively.
Having retired from Tests after a horror tour of Australia, Rohit and Kohli were narrowed to just one format. The lack of match time was viewed as a red flag, but the two veterans have proved naysayers wrong. While Rohit won Player of the Series with a hundred and a fifty in Australia, Kohli dominated the three-match affair against South Africa.
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With four fifty-plus scores on the bounce, Kohli is back to shattering records at will. The confidence in his renewed form was evident against South Africa as he unfurled vintage strokes, dispatching bowlers with disdain. He was striking more boundaries than ever, launching them into the stands with the trademark class that has long defined him.
I HAVE DOUBTED MYSELF: KOHLI
Reflecting on difficult phases, Kohli admitted he has endured stretches where he battled self-doubt.
“So yes, I’ve had many phases where I’ve doubted myself, and I haven’t been shy to admit that. I think it’s a pretty human part of anyone’s journey for that long. But I’m just glad that I’m still able to contribute to the team,” he said.
“When you play that long — 15, 16 years — you’re going to have many phases where you doubt your ability, especially as a batsman, because you’re literally relying on one mistake.
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“You tend to go into a space where you feel like maybe I’m not good enough, the nerves take over, and that’s the beauty of sport, especially a skill like batting, where you have to keep overcoming that fear every ball you play.
“Eventually you play long innings and get into a zone again where you can start playing confidently,” he added.
Despite difficult patches in Tests and T20Is, Kohli has consistently tried to meet his own standards in ODIs. With 651 runs in 13 matches this year, he is averaging 65.10 in the format, having struck three hundreds and four fifties.
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