Bengaluru: “I’ve still got it, I guess,” Virat Kohli said asserting his T20 credentials, unwilling to be just the megastar whose name is being “attached to promoting the game” two months before cricket enters unchartered territory with the T20 World Cup in the USA.
Kohli, who is back after a two-month paternity break, scored a match-winning 77 off 49 balls for Royal Challengers Bengaluru Monday night against Punjab Kings and deservedly walked away with the player of the match honours.
“I know my name is nowadays quite attached to just promoting the game in many parts of the world when it comes to T20 cricket. But, I’ve still got it, I guess,” said the 35-year-old father of two in the post-match presentation.
The hallmark of Kohli’s classy knock was the way he stepped out to dispatch the fast bowlers over the extra cover boundary.
The former India captain has nothing left to prove but he realises the need for constant evolution in T20 format.
His comments come in the backdrop of never-ending media speculation surrounding the team’s composition for the big event to be jointly hosted by the USA and the West Indies starting June 1.
“Well I mean you have to (make additions to your game),” he said when asked about going aerial against the pacers on the off-side.
“People know I play the cover drive pretty well so they’re not going to allow me to hit gaps and with guys like KG (Kagiso Rabada) and Arshdeep (Singh) as well, he’s tall. So, I mean, if they’re hitting length, you have to create some momentum in the ball.
“And once you’re closer to the ball, you kind of negate the bounce that’s going to happen. You meet it earlier. So, I mean, you have to come up with a game plan here and there and try to keep improving your game,” he explained at the post-match presentation.