"When I spoke to Anushka, I was in tears" - Virat Kohli recalls getting emotional after breaking century drought in 2022
Senior Team India batter Virat Kohli revealed that he was so emotionally overwhelmed after breaking his century drought in September 2022 that he ended up in tears while speaking to his wife Anushka Sharma.
Kohli (35) is second on the list of batters with most centuries in international cricket. He has 80 tons to his name across the three formats. Only Sachin Tendulkar (100) has hit more hundreds than him in international cricket. However, the former India captain had to wait for nearly three years to notch up a three-figure score after his Test ton against Bangladesh in Kolkata in November 2019.
The much-awaited moment finally arrived when Kohli hammered a scintillating 122* off 61 balls in the Asia Cup clash against Afghanistan in Dubai in September 2022. In a conversation with Jatin Sapru, the seasoned batter revisited his feelings after ending his much-publicized century drought. He said (as quoted by The Times of India):
"When I spoke to Anushka, I was in tears."
Elaborating on his immediate feelings after reaching the three-figure mark against Afghanistan, Kohli commented:
“But the moment I got there, I laughed so hard. Iske liye ro raha tha do saal se (Was crying for this for two years).”
Kohli slammed 12 fours and six sixes in his 90-minute stay at the crease against Afghanistan in the 2022 Asia Cup Super 4 clash in Dubai. Batting first, the Men in Blue put up 212-2 on the board as KL Rahul also chipped in with 62 off 41 balls. In the chase, Afghanistan were held to 111-8 as Bhuvneshwar Kumar produced exceptional figures of 5-4.
Virat Kohli dedicated his hundred to wife Anushka and daughter Vamika
While sharing his emotions after an impressive hundred that took nearly three years coming, Kohli dedicated the knock to his wife Anushka and daughter Vamika. He also hailed Anushka for sticking with him through thick and thin.
"I know there was a lot of stuff going outside... You see me standing here because one person has put things in perspective for me. That's Anushka. This hundred is for her and for our little daughter Vamika as well. When you have someone next to you having conversations putting things in perspective, like Anushka has been...," the former India captain said.
Of Kohli's 80 international centuries, 50 have come in the one-day format (a world record), 29 in Test cricket and one in T20Is. The right-hander retired from T20Is after the 2024 T20 World Cup final against South Africa, a game in which he was the Player of the Match for his 76 off 59 balls.