'Game shows you everything': Virat Kohli on batting struggles
What's the story
Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, two of India's most successful cricketers, put on a vintage performance in Sydney. The duo stitched an unbeaten 168-run partnership to lead India to victory in front of a packed SCG crowd. Kohli scored a superb 74* whereas Rohit ended up hammering an unbeaten 121. After the match, both players reflected on their long careers and the challenges they faced along the way.
Career challenges
Kohli on his rough patch
Kohli, who had a rough patch with two consecutive ducks in ODIs, spoke about the difficulties of the game. "You've scored so many runs in international cricket, but then the game shows you everything," he said to broadcasters after India's win on Saturday. He added that even at this stage of his career, he sometimes feels like he doesn't know how to score runs. "That's why we love batting," Kohli said.
Partnership dynamics
Partnership with Rohit
Kohli also praised his long-standing partnership with Rohit, saying it has always brought out the best in him. "When Rohit's already batting there, it's pretty easy to kind of keep rotating strike," he said. The duo has shared many match-winning partnerships over the years and have now become one of ODI cricket's most prolific pairs, surpassing Kumar Sangakkara and Tillakaratne Dilshan to rank third on the list of highest ODI partnerships.
Australian memories
Rohit recalls memories of playing in Australia
Rohit, who scored his 33rd ODI century at SCG, reminisced about his fond memories of playing in Australia. "I've always loved coming here," he said. He added that he enjoys playing cricket in Australia and has a lot of good and bad memories from here. Rohit also spoke about their approach to the game as they focus on starting fresh and enjoying their cricket.
Fresh starts
Start fresh, enjoy the game: Rohit
Rohit stressed on the importance of starting fresh in every game. "We enjoy our cricket, most importantly, no matter what," he said. He added that it's important to start fresh whenever you get an opportunity to play. Kohli echoed this sentiment and said they take a lot of pride in their understanding of the game and how to apply it in different situations.