"I was able to achieve that for 90 minutes" - Virat Kohli reveals secret to his success vs GT
Virat Kohli returned to form when the Royal Challengers Bangalore needed him the most. He played a match-winning innings against the Gujarat Titans (GT) on Thursday (May 19) that kept their IPL team afloat in the race for the IPL 2022 playoffs.
The talismanic run-scorer, who has had an underwhelming IPL 2022 so far, looked in his zone during 54-ball 73-run knock. Kohli took a couple of overs to get his eye in before announcing his intentions with lofts straight down and through the covers against Mohammed Shami. The rest came naturally to him as the RCB star grew from strength to strength.
KING FOR A REASON, KING OF ALL SEASONS.
Really happy to see our champ Virat Kohli is back in his ferocious form. #RCBvGT #TATAIPL https://t.co/leaQ9kzwzq
Throwing light on the recipe for his success at the post-match presentation ceremony, Virat Kohli said:
"You just need to keep the perspective right - you need to understand that there are expectations because of what you've achieved over the years. In the need to live up to those standards you forget the process and why you've set those standards."
He added:
"I just kept backing myself to not doubt myself at all. I wanted clarity every ball that I played and I was able to achieve that for 90 mins so I came into this game very free and relaxed that I can back myself every ball and not think of what if somethings go wrong."
The two boundaries in the third over off Mohammed Shami were enough for the engines to fire up. Asked about that one moment when he felt like this was his day, Kohli stated:
"With the very first shot that I played off Shami, I felt like that. When I can hit length balls over the bowler's head for four or six, that's when I know I'm in a very good headspace. I know that I was going to get balls I can hit for four otherwise as well. So I knew that tonight was probably the night I had to back myself and go for my shots."
Virat Kohli and Faf Du Plessis forged a 115-run partnership for the first wicket to set up the chase. Glenn Maxwell's late blitz of an unbeaten 40(18) then secured an eight-wicket win.
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"You feel like why is it happening to me?" - Virat Kohli on his viral plea to god
This is not the first time that Virat Kohli is questioning god. Have never seen Virat Kohli like this. You can get an idea of what the season has been like for Kohli. This is very painful. https://t.co/AvLlzIS72F
Throughout the rough patch in the ongoing IPL 2022, Kohli has been unlucky on a couple of occasions. He was dismissed a few times in the most unusual manner in the competition.
In the game against Punjab Kings, a lapse in concentration against speedster Kagiso Rabada led to his downfall despite a bright start to his innings. A dejected Virat Kohli looked helplessly to the sky on his way back to the dugout.
Shedding light on that viral image, the former Indian captain said:
"In that spur of the moment, you feel like, 'why is it happening to me?' but when you go back to my first innings in England in 2018, I was dropped on 22 and I got 149. The juggernaut could have started with 2014 all over again but it didn't."
He added:
"There are so many things you can't complain about, I can pick and choose so many moments where I've been dropped, I've gotten lucky and I've played some of the best innings of my career. I've been blessed with a lot so I just want to keep working hard, put my head down and try to help my team as much as I can."
Virat Kohli and RCB will now have a keen eye on the Mumbai Indians' last game against the Delhi Capitals. A win for Mumbai will mean that Bangalore will finish fourth, while Rishabh Pant and Co will progress if they manage to continue their winning run.