'I still don't understand how it happened till date' - Virat Kohli reveals his favorite innings to Steve Smith
Indian skipper Virat Kohli has played many mind-blowing knocks in his stellar career so far across all three formats. However, he revealed his favorite knock was against Australia in the 2016 T20 World Cup.
It was a virtual quarterfinal between the two teams and the Men in Blue were chasing 161 runs to progress.
Team India were in a spot of bother, having lost three wickets for just 49 runs. However, Virat Kohli was in supreme touch and kept the Men in Blue in the chase through some brilliant strokeplay.
He smashed an unbeaten 82 off just 51 balls, including nine fours and two sixes as India comfortably beat the Aussies by six wickets. The 32-year-old still finds it difficult to believe the kind of shots he was able to pull off under pressure.
"My most favourite is that T20 we played at Mohali. I don't know, it was literally like I went into a trance mode. You feel like things are looking difficult and then you just think about committing to what the team needs. I still don't understand how it happened till date. Everything I was hitting was going into gaps and I just went into a zone which even I couldn't break down after," Virat Kohli told Steve Smith in a video posted on BCCI's official Twitter page.
Virat Kohli reveals the moment he felt he belonged at the international level
Virat Kohli also spoke about the innings that gave him the belief that he belonged at the international level.
India were playing West Indies in a group game in the 2009 Champions Trophy at Johannesburg. They had to win the game to stay alive in the tournament.
Having bowled out the West Indies for just 129, a decent start from the Indian openers would have broken the back of the chase.
However, India lost two quick wickets and a 20-year-old Virat Kohli walked out to bat. The first ball he faced was a 153 kmph thunderbolt which hit his biceps and shook his confidence.
But Kohli hung around and scored a patient 79* to help India win the game by seven wickets. Virat Kohli revealed that this was when he realized he had what it takes to be successful at the highest level.
"It was a game against West Indies at Johannesburg.. and I was just waiting padded-up. And the first ball he bowled was 153 clicks. And I was like 'how am I going to score runs at this level?' He hit me the first ball on the bicep, and then I don't know why he bowled a slower-ball to me the next ball and I hit a four and then I got relaxed. I scored 80 odd not out and that was my first Man of the Match as well. Then I thought 'Right, if I can do this more often, surely I can go on for a long time at this level'," Virat Kohli revealed.
The next assignment for the Men in Blue is the all-important Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia.
Virat Kohli will be heading back to India after the first Test, as he is awaiting the birth of his first child. He will be keen to help India take a 1-0 lead in the series.