For someone who was some time back rushing at breakneck speed towards Sachin Tendulkar’s all-time record of 100 international centuries, a drought that has lasted over two years now must ring alarm bells. But Virat Kohli, who continues to be stuck on 70 centuries since his hundred against Bangladesh in November 2019, it’s not a concern.
On and off the field, Kohli’s have kept growing in recent times. He has publicly contradicted BCCI’s official line on him stepping down as T20I captain, hasn’t been performing to the standards he’s set for himself and missed the 2nd Test of the ongoing series against South Africa due to a back spasm – a fitness issue which has troubled him in the past as well.
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However, Kohli is not worried.
“It is not the first time. Let’s not get away from reality, it has happened a few times (lean patch),” the India Test captain said on Monday while confirming he’s fit and will return to lead the side in the series-deciding 3rd Test starting Tuesday.
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“I don’t look at myself from the lens that the outside world looks at me. The standards I have been compared with have been set by myself. More than anyone else I take pride in wanting to do the best for the team. In sports sometimes things don’t go the way you want them to go but I realise that I have been involved in very important moments in the last year or so as a batter,” he added.
Kohli, who has 7854 runs from 98 Tests including 27 hundreds and as many half-centuries, says he doesn’t feel the need to prove to anyone but understands he’s in a position where there will be judgement from the ‘outside world’.
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“Eventually, those moments have been crucial. Sometimes your focal point changes, if you keep looking at yourself in terms of numbers you’ll never be happy. I take a lot of pride and motivation to be in those moments and have nothing to worry about. I truly believe I don’t need to prove myself to anyone. When you are in the position you are going to be judged by the outside world,” said.
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