‘Message must have gone inside Virat that ‘Are you people doubting my ability?’: Ashwin on Kohli’s celebrations post ODI centuries against South Africa

With his knock of 102 runs against South Africa in the second ODI at Raipur, Virat Kohli scored his second successive century of the series in as many matches. Kohli’s century at Raipur was also the 11th time that the Indian batsman scored back-to-back hundreds in ODI cricket and the 37-year-old celebrated both centuries in his all aggressive style pumping up the fists and jumping. With all the talk about him now playing in only one format and Kohli also playing in Vijay Hazare trophy later this year, former Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin believes the celebrations are to answer the cricketing world about ‘doubting Virat Kohli’ and the cricketer answering the doubts with the centuries.

“We understand what’s the journey inside him. Let’s not forget to understand why is Virat celebrating like that? What is he thinking? What has he gone through? Let’s not forget that Virat left Test cricket. And Virat and Test cricket have been very very synchronous. He likes Test cricket very much. He always wants to play but he has left the Test cricket format. It’s not only about his requirements. Right? Whatever discussions were going on and obviously he did not score many runs in Test cricket. Given an opportunity with good communication, for all you know we don’t know what he wanted to do but to leave the sport is a very big decision. And there were also talks. Right now he has said yes to play Vijay Hazare. Clearly communication is happening. But there is a lot of conversation and in many ways such. Message must have gone inside Virat that ‘Are you people doubting my ability?’ Because Virat is a very competitive person. Because of that competitive nature, he has performed so well. So the thought must have gone inside him that there is a doubt on my ability, my skill. I will now show by doing,” Ashwin said on his Youtube channel Ash ki Baat.

The century at Raipur was Kohli’s 53rd ODI century. It was also the seventh time that Kohli hit an ODI century against South Africa, the highest for any other batsmen in the world. In India, Kohli has scored four ODI hundreds against South Africa in his last five ODI matches against the country in India. Wednesday’s century also meant that Kohli has now scored an ODI hundred at 34 venues across the world. Sachin Tendulkar, who hit 49 ODI hundreds in his career, also has ODI tons at 34 different venues across the world.

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Ashwin again reiterated that Kohli is telling himself that ‘you doubted me. I did it’. “He looks in a good space. Looks like he had good practice. His mind is in good space. He has scored two centuries. He is telling not the world. He is telling himself. You doubted me. I did it. I have got in me and that is what I saw when he celebrated,” added Ashwin.

Kohli has shared his hundred at Ranchi about how it’s about enjoying his cricket and how he visualises batting. “I just wanted to play the ball and enjoy the game of cricket. It was about enjoying and when you get a start, then the experience kicks in and you’re able to build an innings. I’ve never been a believer of a lot of prep. All my cricket has been mental. I work physically very hard, as long as my fitness levels are up and then you visualise batting and feeling well, it’s good,” Kohli had said after the match in Ranchi.