A Dhoni six, a Tendulkar maximum – and lots of Kohli shots: Virat Kohli’s joyous knock in world cup year

The latest masterpiece — a 110-ball 166 not out filled with strokes that scintillated as much as soothed and set up a 317-run thrashing of Sri Lanka, India’s biggest win in this format — was perhaps the truest sign of his return to serial century-wielding prowess. There was not only mastery and magic, artistry and freedom, but more importantly enjoyment, a quality that was missing from his game as recently as the middle of last year.

Take a bow, Virat Kohli 🫡

Live – https://t.co/muZgJH3f0i #INDvSL @mastercardindia pic.twitter.com/7hEpC4xh7W

— BCCI (@BCCI) January 15, 2023

But here, he seemed like a man who loved the sport as deeply and madly as he had when he first fell in love with it. A contented smile adorned his face as he walked back to the pavilion to the applause of the spectators, teammates and adversaries. Even his celebration upon reaching his century bespoke joy rather than anger or defiance. He was convulsed with laughter before he removed his helmet and acknowledged every corner of the ground.

The knock was filled with Kohli shots. The check drives, none as pristine as his first four, cover-driven just to the left of the mid-off fielder; the full-pelt drives, the front-elbow winking at the aluminium skies; the swat-flicks and the clips, the nudges and deflections, from which he collected singles and doubles; a gorgeous pulled six, the last of his eight hits over the fence.

There were un-Kohli shots too. Like a helicopter-shot six over long-on, in a semi-Dhoni style. It was even more incredible than the Dhoni helicopter because Kohli had charged down the track, rather prematurely and Kasun Rajitha had enough time to pull the length back and slip the ball way outside the off-stump. But Kohli stretched his arms, dragged his body closer to the pitch of the ball so that he could get more power into it and swirled his wrists ferociously to cuff the ball over long-on. He was on his knees when he completed the shot and crackled in laughter as it sailed into the stands.

Two balls later, he penned an ode to Sachin Tendulkar with a glorious chipped six over long-off that left the crowd awe-struck. The ball was slightly over-pitched, Kohli made a half front-foot press and met the ball on the rise. It seemed no more violent than a brushstroke. But Kohli was not satisfied just showing the polished face of his batting. The next ball was violently heaved over mid-wicket. Then there was the chipped extra-cover drive, standing on his toes and arching his body to manufacture the room for the shot. His knock was akin to a masterly classical dancer exploring the full range and scope of the navarasas. There was madness to his method in this innings.

𝙒.𝙄.𝙉.𝙉.𝙀.𝙍.𝙎! 🏆#TeamIndia | #INDvSL pic.twitter.com/DH5WpvH0sb

— BCCI (@BCCI) January 15, 2023

Not a belter

Kohli’s batting transformed into Lord Shiva’s tandava in the last 10 overs, when his bat strummed deathly notes for Sri Lanka’s bowlers. His last 64 runs came off just 28 balls, and each stroke of his had inevitability about it. He even masked the tackiness of the strip. The scorecard — 390 runs and two batsmen completing better-than run-a-ball hundreds — could mislead one into thinking that this wicket was a shirtfront. While it was not a difficult surface, there was uneven bounce at times. Often the ball kept low. Leg-spinner Wanindu Hasaranga tried to exaggerate the nature of the pitch by bowling round-arm and low-arm, dusting up memories of Kedar Jadhav. But Kohli would counter this by stepping out and meeting the ball on the full. Even if he sometimes did not reach the pitch of the ball, his hands and wrists, perhaps it was his sheer, steely will, ensured that he found the desired result. Once, seeing him step out, Hasaranga shortened the length, but Kohli still blunted the ball down the ground.

The sustenance of his form, thus, dispels all exaggerated notions of his diminishing stroke-play. In a World Cup year, there would be no better news for Indian cricket than Kohli reeling out hundreds. For there is no player yet who could match his mastery in this format.

2️⃣8️⃣3️⃣ runs in three matches with a top-score of 1️⃣6️⃣6️⃣* 👌👌

Congratulations to @imVkohli on winning the Player of the Series award 👏👏

Scorecard ▶️ https://t.co/q4nA9Ff9Q2#INDvSL | @mastercardindia pic.twitter.com/WIlPU9sJYp

— BCCI (@BCCI) January 15, 2023

But hundreds and milestones do not obsess him any longer. “I don’t have any desperation to get to a milestone. I want to continue doing that and am content. Today, I was happy to be batting out there and in that space I ended up playing good cricket. I am in a nice space right now, just being organic,” Kohli said at the end of the match.

Unburdened and unshackled, he has wooed his mojo back. And here was a player who seemed to encapsulate the sheer fun of being really good at cricket. A virtuoso cricketer who has not just rediscovered his touch but also fallen back in love with the game, and in recent times he has rarely made batting look so enjoyable.