India won the ICC Champions Trophy semifinal against Australia by 4 wickets and Virat Kohli again stole the spotlight with his 84 run knock. He played steady innings and took it deep, instead of risky stroke play after India found themselves struggling at 43-2 in the eighth over.
Virat Kohli’s Match-Winning Knock Against Australia
His strategy was the same as when he had hit only seven fours in his match-winning century against Pakistan. Kohli, the master of the contemporary game, has been an exceptional observer on many occasions to lead India to victory. The 36-year-old underlined that he never forced his game on a pitch but always changed according to the situation. He once again demonstrated his capacity to find gaps, run hard between wickets, and guide India towards their target with least risk. For Kohli, the secret of a successful chase is taking the game deep while not losing wickets.
Kohli Playing The Game According To Conditions
“For me, it’s about understanding the conditions and preparing my game accordingly,” Kohli said after collecting the player-of-the-match award.
“(It’s about) just rotating strike, because partnerships on this pitch are the most important thing.”
“It all depends on the conditions. The pitch tells me how the cricket needs to be played, and then I just switch on and play accordingly.”
Going Deep Into The Innings
“I wasn’t feeling desperate. I was pretty happy knocking ones around,” he said.
“When, as a batsman, you start taking pride in hitting those singles into the gaps, that’s when you know you’re playing good cricket, and then you know you’re in for a big partnership.”
“It’s all about pressure. If you go deep into the innings, the opposition usually gives in,” he said.
“It’s about controlling your impulses, knowing the number of overs left. You know when you can turn the game around.”
