Virat Kohli highlights the beauty and challenges of ODI cricket

Bengaluru: Star India and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) batter Virat Kohli opened up on the “beauty of ODI cricket”, saying that the format needs one to utilise all facets of the game and spoke on general public and players’ lack of patience in the format in current days.

Virat was speaking on the latest episode of the RCB Podcast, released on the franchise’s YouTube channel. With his consistency, records, and match-winning ability, Virat has made a case for himself as perhaps the best ODI batter ever, with 14,181 runs in 302 matches and 290 innings at a stunning average of 57.88, with 51 centuries (most by a player) and 74 fifties.

Speaking on the podcast, Virat said, “The beauty of one-day cricket and a lot of people realize that in the Champions Trophy as well. You need to bring in all facets of your game to be successful in ODI cricket. You need to have patience, you need to have the explosive game, and you need to have stamina. You need to have explosive power and to have that intensity, especially while fielding. Because it’s not a format that is running slow.

He said that one needs to show the T20 intensity over the period of 50 overs and though with lesser ODIs being played, players have got more used to lengthy Tests and quick T20s, one still needs to be dynamic in ODIs. He also noted the struggles of the younger generation, who grew up on a healthy diet of T20s, in adapting to the tempo of the 50-over format.

“You have to have all the facets of your game ready to be able to apply them in different scenarios. And I have seen that especially with the players coming up, they are still trying to figure out how to play this format.”

“Because they have gotten so used to flat pitches and just wanting to hit the ball that when it is not there, the second option for them, and I understand that because their cricket is based on a lot of T20 cricket and a lot of ODI cricket which has to be attractive for people to watch. Because people are also getting used to watching the slam bang, hit the ball, 6s, 4s all the time. That high-pressure games, they are only engaged in a format like Champions Trophy or World Cup. Outside of that, they do not have patience for it,” he continued.

Virat noted that during India’s ICC Champions Trophy win, where he finished with 218 runs in five matches at an average of 54.50 with a century and a fifty, the pitches were challenging in Dubai and the tournament format was kept short. This led to people being engaged in the tournament. Virat continued, saying that his generation of players grew up watching ODI cricket without any field restrictions, reverse swing, and hence were exposed to plenty of strike rotation and handling of pressure by players. “And then we had to evolve to the explosive game that these guys have today. So it is a give and take. You have to learn from each other’s skills to eventually make your game well-rounded so you can perform in different situations,” he added. The 36-year-old noted that the key focus during the ODIs these days is the first 10 overs of the powerplay and the last 10 overs, the death overs phase, but the real test for teams is the middle overs from 11-40 overs.

“That is where you operate as a bat and that is where you operate as a fielding unit with your bowling changes. So how do you own those middle overs? Is that the key to success? Because we saw that reflected in numbers,” he added. (ANI)

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