Ace Indian batter Virat Kohli knows and understands the gravity of an India-Pakistan match, and to ensure he’s up with the hype and his game, he reached the training session one hour earlier than the rest of the team at the ICC Academy on Saturday (Feb 22). India faces Pakistan in the marquee ICC Champions Trophy 2025 clash in Dubai on Sunday (Feb 23).
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The right-handed batter was joined by the batting coach Sitanshu Kotak and throw-down specialists Nuwan Seneviratne and D Raghvendra (Raghu), and by the time the rest of the team reached the venue, Kohli was already done with his one training session. About 15 minutes later, Kohli removed his batting gear and took a break while putting an ice pack on his left leg.
Meanwhile, Kohli has been in the headlines lately for falling prey to similar (kinds of) dismissals across formats. While his knack of chasing the fourth-stump line (in Tests) cost him throughout the BGT Down Under, Kohli getting out to leg spinners similarly has put him under pressure.
To arrest his lean patch, Kohli trained for an extra hour before the marquee clash against Pakistan. Against the Men in Green in the ODIs, Virat averages 52.15, striking at 100.29, with his highest One-Day score (183 in Dhaka, 2012) coming against the same opponent.
Desperate for runs
Against Bangladesh in India’s tournament opener, Kohli got out to leggie Rishad Hossain caught at gully on 22. While Michael Clarke lauded Kohli’s commitment to return to his best, former cricketer-turned-commentator Sanjay Manjrekar feels Virat is trying way too hard.
“I think he is trying too hard. Coming 90 minutes earlier to practice is a sign. He can come two minutes before the match and get going. I think he is trying a bit too much,” Manjrekar said to broadcaster Star Sports.
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Knowing what Virat can do on the bigger stage, remembering perhaps his greatest knock against Pakistan (during the 2022 T20 World Cup), Clarke explained Kohli’s desperation to reach the venue earlier than the team, adding he thrives in big tournaments. Clarke further urged fans not to be surprised should the Indian batter return to his old self against Pakistan.
“I think Virat is one of those players who thrive in big tournaments. He hasn’t been in the best of form, which is why he’s training an hour and a half earlier. That’s what great players do-when something doesn’t feel right, they make time to correct it before stepping onto the field,” Clarke said, as quoted by Times of India (TOI).
“What I like about the Champions Trophy is that there’s no time to ease into the tournament-you have to be at your best straight away. Virat is such a great player that he might just flick that switch. You might have watched him the other day and thought he wasn’t at his best, but he steps up when India need him most. Don’t be surprised if it happens against Pakistan on the big day,” Clarke continued.
(With inputs from agencies)