Since India’s tour to England, Virat Kohli has often looked a completely different man. His demeanour on the field has been a pale shadow of his former self. His statements in post match presentations have given a clear insight into his mind which has calmed itself down over the months. He was known to be a man wearing his heart on his sleeve, but to everyone’s amazement, he seems to have grown, matured and learnt to absorb the failures since he saw his poor string of scores right from Lord’s to Edgbaston this summer; on being asked about his poor from at the start of the West Indies series in Kochi he gracefully said that god has certainly been kind towards him. Even as the domestic season came knocking on the door his form too has returned for good, but his brash attitude hasn’t.
However, on Sunday his patience finally made way.
As Stuart Binny came down the track to Mendis and found himself short of the crease, Kohli didn’t look impressed. India were cruising at 150/2 in 25 overs but suddenly, the innings lost it’s way as India lost five wickets within 16 overs. During this moment of madness when wickets tumbled, Kohli himself looked visibly frustrated by the shot selections of his colleagues. His character was well and truly tested as his team-mates deserted him and India was well on it‘s way to miss the opportunity to whitewash Sri Lanka. Moreover, the guilt of running out an in-form Ambati Rayudu must have been getting heavier with every fallen wicket. So, when he played that match-winning innings in Ranchi, it spoke leaps and bounds for his temperament as it came in the backdrop of an intense situation.
From there on, Kohli showed what was least expected from him. He took his time at the other end and waited for the right moment to cut loose and when it came he just blasted the undisciplined bowling from the opposition, coming down the track not once but twice to Ajantha Mendis in the dying stages of the game.
Kohli, who has amassed 307 runs in f08r innings in his new No. 4 slot, looked a man possessed come what may. He looked as fluent as always as his innings began, smashing deliveries with width outside off stump at will. When the innings ended he had successfully executed the helicopter shot in Dhoni’s hometown. This steely resolve was seldom expected from a brash young 24-year old who has rose through the ranks in Indian cricket rapidly.
With India off to Australia in the next 48 hours, the fans are surely counting on him once again.
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