Star Indian batter Virat Kohli appreciated the break that came with focusing on just one format ahead of India’s first ODI against Australia in Perth on Sunday, October 19. The 36-year-old had retired from Tests before the recent England tour and stepped away from T20Is following India’s 2024 World Cup victory in the West Indies and USA.
Kohli’s last appearance for India was during their 2025 Champions Trophy win in March. Despite this, he participated in two months of IPL action afterward, guiding Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) to their first-ever title. Reflecting on the challenges of playing exclusively in the ODI format ahead of the series opener, Kohli spoke to Fox Cricket (via @Wxtreme10 X handle):
“To be honest, the amount of cricket I’ve played over the last 15-20 years, I’ve actually not rested at all if that makes sense. I’ve probably played the most number of games in the last 15 years in international cricket, combining the IPL together as well.”
“So for me it was a very refreshing time off. I am feeling as fit, if not fitter, than ever before. You can just feel the freshness when you know you can play the game and mentally you know what to do out there. It’s just the physical preparation that really needs to be taken care of.”
He further continued:
“At this stage I realised that if my body is fit and my reflexes are there, then the game awareness is already there. My body has to match up with it and that’s something I try to keep up. I live my life like that so no issues at all, I am feeling fresh. Moving really well in the nets and in the fielding sessions as well so all good so far.”
“Enjoying A Beautiful Pause” – Virat Kohli
Virat Kohli shared that he has been relishing the break following his Test retirement in May. The star batter’s last competitive appearance was in early June, when RCB secured their first-ever IPL title.
“It’s been a long time off for me since I retired from Test cricket. I’ve been able to catch up on life. I’ve not been able to anything for the last several years. Just being able to spend some quality time with your kids and family home, it’s been a beautiful, beautiful phase. It’s something I’ve really enjoyed,” said Kohli (via the aforementioned source).
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