Relaxed Kohli reaches new heights

Virat Kohli is remarkable. It’s an obvious statement, and it’s been true for a while, but it’s sometimes worth reflecting on the grandeur of his exploits, the scale of his achievements. As a batsmen, he’s breathing rarefied air, touching heights that only a select few have reached in the past. His 153 in the second Test at Centurion was the only hundred of a desperately tough series for batsmen, with his 95 runs in the third Test on a pitch which almost necessitated an abandonment equally impressive.

His greatness as an ODI batsman is long-established, the only question where in the pantheon he ranks, but with each passing innings it is becoming harder and harder to deny he sits at its top. His hundred in the sixth ODI was his third in the series – only Zaheer Abbas has made as many in a single bilateral contest – and also made him the only batsmen to pass 500 runs in a two-team series.

His efforts have shown an extraordinary mental and physical resolve - he has faced more than 1,000 deliveries on this tour, running hard between the wickets all the while, and roused his team from two losses in their first two games, which must have brought up memories of any number of chastening recent away tours, to win six of their next seven and secure a first-ever series win in South Africa.

“Obviously, you want to lead from the front, and that's a wonderful feeling,” said Kohli. “As a team, we felt we did not play with the right frame of mind in the first two Tests. Come Johannesburg, we made up our mind that we will not take a backward step.”

With the ODI series won, and chasing a small-ish target the normally intense Kohli relaxed, a fact evident in his wondrous most recent hundred – his method in his five previous innings had been to run hard, hit the ball on the ground, and stay in complete control. Today, he cut loose, taking on the short ball with impunity, trusting the bounce of the pitch and the thin atmosphere of Centurion to see him safe.

He got off the mark with a pull shot that flew past leg gully for four, and pulled again two balls later, before guiding a third boundary in four balls to move to 13 off eight, and he didn’t look back. South Africa were playing right into his hands, and he was enjoying himself. “It was a day where I felt really good. I like setting up for the short ball,” he said. “It was a blessing in disguise, and they kept bowling short.”

Kohli’s lack of tension showed in his post-match talk as well as in his play, with his answers taking on the form an awards acceptance speech as he thanked those who had made his achievements possible. “It has been a rollercoaster until now,” he said. “People who are close to me deserve a lot of credit. My wife has kept me going throughout the tour. I am grateful for that. It's a blessing that I am healthy and getting to captain my country. They have shown great character - especially the two young spinners. Shikhar at the top, Rohit. The way the series went augurs well for us.”

He could be forgiven for gushing. With his words and actions, Kohli has dragged his team from being on the brink of another disaster tour, to triumphs they have never before experienced. It will surely be looked back on as one of his greatest achievements, but Kohli, taking stock, has his sights set firmly on the future, both near and far.

“We're looking forward to the T20s,” he said. “The tour is not over yet. I have got eight or nine years left in my career. And I want to make the most of every day.” It was a stark reminder that one day India will have to move on from Virat Kohli. When that time comes, and it becomes appropriate to look back on his career, there’ll be little to do but marvel.