Virat Kohli informs Delhi team he is available for Vijay Hazare Trophy days after he seemed ready to defy BCCI diktat
Board has insisted that all players must play domestic cricket when available, but Kohli, after scoring 135 against South Africa on Sunday, said he had 'never been a big believer in a lot of preparation.'
On Sunday, after winning the Player of the Match award for his 135 in the second ODI against South Africa, Kohli said: “I’ve never been a big believer in a lot of preparation, if that makes sense. All my cricket has been mental. As long as I feel good mentally, I can play the game.”
Kohli’s comments had not gone down well with the BCCI, a source told this newspaper. He has since seemed to have changed his mind.
Before the start of the One-Day International Series against South Africa, Rohit Sharma had informed the Mumbai Cricket Association that he would play in the Vijay Hazare Trophy but Kohli had kept everyone guessing. Since he was scoring runs in ODIs, Kohli said he didn’t think there was a need for him to play additional matches.
“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 had said on Sunday.
Being physically fit, timing the ball well and being mentally ready, Kohli believed, was the key for him.
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“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 would add.
There has been speculation about the future of the two veteran batsmen, Kohli, 37, and Rohit, 38, given that the next 50-over World Cup is in 2027. However, after returning to international cricket after a gap of six months for the ODI tour of Australia last month, both have been among the runs. After two successive ducks in Perth and Adelaide, Kohli made 74 in the final ODI against Australia, and then scored 135 against South Africa in Ranchi on Sunday. Rohit’s scores read 8, 73, 121 not out, and 57.
