Virat Kohli says keeping emotions in control an important part of his game

Virat Kohli scored his record-equalling 49th ODI hundred against South Africa at the Eden Gardens on Sunday. His match-winning hundred gave joy to millions of Indians as the Men in Blue trounced South Africa by 243 runs.

Hyderabad:The entire country was waiting for his 49th ODI hundred. Star India batter Virat Kohli missed it against New Zealand at Dharamsala and against Sri Lanka at Mumbai. Perhaps, it was in his destiny, to score it on his 35th birthday. Virat Kohli, who smashed a record-equalling 49th ODI ton and joined his idol Sachin Tendulkar, for most hundreds in the fifty-over format, said he wanted to keep his emotions in check.

"I always wanted to keep my emotions and feelings in control. It is a very important part of my game. So, I keep that awareness ahead of the match," said Virat Kohli on 'Star Sports', the official broadcaster of the ongoing ICC Men's Cricket World Cup.

He was congratulated by cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar. India skipper Rohit Kohli celebrated with gusto when India defeated arch-rivals Pakistan at Melbourne in the T20 World Cup 2022 and Virat Kohli was also elated. "I have played with Rohit for a long time but I have not seen him express so much", said Kohli.

Virat Kohli had played a magnificent unbeaten 82 off 53 balls to steer India to a four-wicket win in that match against Pakistan, and the former Indian captain placed that innings as a case in point on how he tackles pressure. The 35-year-old negated a potent Pakistan pace attack including Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah and Haris Rauf to produce a match-winning innings.

"There was no extra preparation to face them because over the years you are used to 140, 145, 150 kmph bowling. The only thing you need to do is to get into a mental space and get ready for the challenge," he added. "

"The defeat against Pakistan in 2021 never came to my mind (in 2022). Considering the big human error factor involved in sport, there is no guarantee that on a given day you will win. We were winning against Pakistan all those years but on that day (in World Cup 2021), they outplayed us. There's no shame in accepting that. It was a good reality check for everyone. We can't play a match thinking we have to avenge a defeat in the past," he added.

After a prolonged lean patch, Kohli announced his return to run-making ways with a T20I hundred in the Asia Cup at Dubai. He made an unbeaten 122 against Afghanistan as India won the match by 101 runs, and Kohli said the performance put him in a good mental space ahead of the T20 World Cup.

"If I was not playing well, then probably, I would have been a bit uneasy. But I scored my first T20I hundred in the Asia Cup and that brought me back into a contented space. I was not feeling desperate or nervous. I was just happy that I was able to play at such a big occasion once more", Kohli noted.