'Sledging from guys like Mushfiqur Rahim helps motivate me while chasing,' says Virat Kohli
Indian cricket team captain Virat Kohli on Monday spoke about his love for chasing and how he would dream of winning matches for the country even during his childhood.
In a candid chat with Bangladesh star cricketer Tamim Iqbal, Virat Kohli shed light on how the opposition's approach to sledge him works in his favour during run-chases.
"Sometimes someone like Mushfiqur says something behind the stumps and I get motivated. You need to have self-confidence. When I was small I would watch matches and if India would lose, I would sleep with the thought that I could have won the match for the country," says Virat Kohli.
One of the world's best batsmen currently, Virat Kohli's numbers while chasing speak volumes of the Indian cricket team captain's skill during run-chases. From 142 matches in which the Indian team chased targets, Virat Kohli has amassed 7039 runs at an average of 68.33.
Virat Kohli averages 96.21 in successful run-chases
If we were to dig up Virat Kohli's numbers from games in which India have won while chasing, we'd find that they get even better. From 89 such games, Virat Kohli has scored 5388 runs with 22 centuries at a stunning average of 96.21 and a strike rate of 97.76.
Having tasted unparalleled success during run-chases for India, Virat Kohli furthered elucidated how he considers chasing an opportunity rather than a pressure situation.
"Chasing is a situation in which you know how much to score and how to score the runs. There isn't a more clear situation than this. I don't feel any pressure (while chasing), I see it as an opportunity to remain not out and see the team win," Virat Kohli added.
The Indian cricket team captain was scheduled to turn out for the Royal Challengers Bangalore as part of IPL 2020. However, with the coronavirus pandemic delaying the commencement of the cash-rich league, it remains to be seen when Virat Kohli next features in a live cricket match.