Time to sizzle as
HAPPY HUNTING GROUND
MUMBAI: Match winning knocks immediately change the body language. A bright 138 runs, collected through plenty of planning and immaculate execution, has done that to Virat Kohli. A man who gets a kick out of the big fight can’t stay without being involved in one. The explaining may have been little long-winded, but Kohli was at his expressive best, and did not seek an escape route when questions turned to the difficulties he encountered in his shot-making.
“A game like that of tomorrow is something I personally like to be a part of. You want to be performing in big games and winning for the team. That feeling after you make a significant contribution to the team winning a big game is something, as a sportsman, hard to replicate in any aspect of life,” Kohli said.
Kohli is assured of his return to his favourite No 3 position after some experimenting. “The reason I feel more at home at No. 3 is I’ve played a lot of games there. I know I have a decent record at No 4 but I’ve played only 30-odd games there. The rest 120-130 games I’ve played at No. 3. That’s where I realised what my game was in international cricket. I can stabilise the innings and hold one end up so that the team can benefit. Even if we’re chasing, I can see PERFORMANCE AT WANKHEDE STADIUM, MUMBAI TEAM PLAYED WON LOST India 16 10 6
South Africa 3 — 3 SUCCESS% 62.50 00.00
INDIA-SOUTH AFRICA AT WANKHEDE STADIUM
PLAYED ON November 6, 1996 Toss: India INDIA: 220-7 in 50 (Sachin Tendulkar 67, Fanie de Villiers three for 32) SOUTH AFRICA: 185 in 47.2 (Pat Symcox 46, Anil Kumble four for 25) RESULT: India won by 35 runs
PLAYED ON December 14, 1996 Toss: India INDIA: 267-6 in 50 (Sachin Tendulkar 114, Ajay Jadeja 54 not out)
SOUTH AFRICA: 193 in 46 (Andrew Hudson 45, Venkatesh Prasad four for 27)
RESULT: India won by 74 runs
PLAYED ON November 28, 2005 Toss: India SOUTH AFRICA: 221-6 in 50 (Jacques Kallis 91, Irfan Pathan three for 20)
INDIA: 224-5 in 47.3 (Rahul Dravid 78 not out) RESULT: India won by 5 wickets
the scoreboard and analyse the situation and play accordingly,” Kohli added.
MORE CAUTIOUS
With the new ODI rules coming in, Kohli is willing to play the waiting game. “It has become very difficult, especially in the subcontinent. It’s because the ball is getting old, the wickets don’t have much pace. It may not be a bad thing to have five fielders outside, you have more chance to rotate the strike play cricket with lesser risk. In the new rules, we need to do what we did in the last game — more of running and keeping the dot balls to a minimum.”
“It is very difficult to leave a 15 or 20 ball/run gap in the end. Say, for the last 10 you can’t afford to leave 80 (runs) in this new rule scenario. You need to stay ahead