“I’ve always been keen to learn and progress” – Virat Kohli reacts to receiving ICC Men’s Cricketer of the Year and ODI Cricketer of the Year awards

“I’ve always been keen to learn and progress” – Virat Kohli reacts to receiving ICC Men’s Cricketer of the Year and ODI Cricketer of the Year awards

Virat Kohli

Virat Kohli

The International Cricket Council (ICC) named Virat Kohli as the Male Cricketer of the Decade across all formats as well as the Male ODI Cricketer of the Decade. Yesterday, the council had announced the Teams of the Decade in all three formats and Kohli was the only cricketer to get named in all three teams. The Indian skipper continued to dominate the ICC Awards season by bagging two more awards today.

Kohli’s dominance across all three formats was immense but none more so than in the ODI format where he made a name for himself as a chase-master. Apart from his unparalleled batting, his fielding skills and captaincy stood out on the field as well which made him a treat to watch.

‘My intention was only to contribute for the team’ – Kohli

Reacting to being named as the ODI Cricketer of the Decade, Virat Kohli in an already-filmed video said, “Very happy and honored. I took to ODIs early. So I got the understanding of my game pretty early and as I mentioned before, my only intention was to make winning contributions for the team. I never focused on stats or numbers. Those things just became a by-product of what you want to do on the field. Those just end up being milestones on the path to victory. That perseverance has helped me adjust according to the situation in ODIs.”

Talking about the changes in the ODI format, the Indian captain said, “A lot has changed with regard to rules since I came in. The scores used to be lower. The influence of T20s wasn’t as severe on the ODI format. Now we score 300-350 being normal and being chased down. I see the game heading in this direction in the next few years as well. But there has to be a method to the madness. There can’t be outright slogging. It involves a lot of skill as well. It’s a different challenge.”

“When I was younger and when India used to fail in chasing down totals, I used to feel I could’ve chased it down if I was there. Playing for India was very close to my heart. That feeling has always been inside me. It has been in the back of my mind. I relish such situations rather than looking at them as pressure situations. There’s no bigger excitement than that,” he added.

Recalling his favorite knocks for India in ODIs, Kohli said, “There are a few knocks that I hold pretty close to my heart. One is the Asia Cup knock against Pakistan in 2012 where I got 183. The other one I relish is the WC Final in 2011. I got only 35 but the partnership with Gautam Gambhir was crucial. The knock in Jaipur where I got a 52-ball hundred. I got a hundred in 61 balls in Nagpur in the same series as well.”

‘I base my cricket on the basics of the game’ – Kohli

Reacting to being named the Cricketer of the Decade, Kohli recalled his favorite moments in the period saying, “The moments that I hold closest to my heart definitely have to be the WC Win in 2011, Champions Trophy win in 2013, the Australia series win in 2018. There have been a lot of special games for India and personally for me as well. I don’t like rating my knocks. Every game is crucial when I play for my country. It’s a great honor to win this award.”

“If you focus on consistency alone, you can’t be consistent. If you have the mindset of wanting to win it for your country, you can always move in the right direction and that helps you be consistent. You’re just looking forward to contributing for the team every time you step on to the field. My endeavor is to bat as long as I can and make my team win,” he added.

Speaking about his style of play, Kohli said, “I base my cricket on the basics of the game. I have been firm with my batting to play good cricketing shots and extend the application into all formats. That helps me switch between formats. I don’t play extravagant shots. I believe in my abilities. It just becomes a mental adjustment.”

Before signing off stating that he was honored to receive the award, Kohli talked about relishing challenges and said, “I take a lot of pride in competing against the best, testing myself against the best in situations that are tough. You find a lot about yourself in adversity. I’ve faced a lot of hardships but I’ve always been keen to learn and progress. I’ve enjoyed every challenge.”

Also Read: India vs Australia: ‘Rishabh Pant reminds me of Adam Gilchrist,’ says Glenn McGrath