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Team India batter Virat Kohli stressed on having the right mindset after his match-winning knock in the third ODI against Sri Lanka at the Greenfield International Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram on Sunday, January 15.
Kohli remained unbeaten on 166 runs off 110 deliveries as the Men in Blue posted an imposing total of 390/5 in their 50 after deciding to bat first. His knock was laced with 12 boundaries and eight sixes.
The Delhi-born batter, who has now scored three centuries in his last four ODI innings, registered his 46th hundred in the format. The talismanic scorer is now only three centuries behind Sachin Tendulkar's record of 49 ODI tons.
Explaining his process, Kohli stated that he intends to bat according to the situation and demands of the game. Speaking at the post-match presentation ceremony, the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) batter said:
"For me, it's just a byproduct of the intent I have. The mindset is always to help the team and bat for as long as possible, put the team in strong positions, and eventually when you play with the situation and demands of the game, then you end up making the difference.
"That's obviously been the case with me. I've always played for the right reasons, helped the team as much as possible and then eventually, ended up being the difference a lot of the times. It's just the intent and playing for the right reasons."
Kohli has been in scintillating form right from the start of the new year. He finished as the highest run-scorer in the ODI series against the Lankans, amassing 283 runs in three matches at an average of 141.50, including two centuries.
"Great sign for us into a World Cup here" - Virat Kohli lauds Mohammed Siraj
Team India speedster Mohammed Siraj has been in red-hot form of late, finishing as the highest wicket-taker with nine scalps from three games, with the best figures of 4/32.
Kohli showered praise on the Hyderabad-born pacer, saying that it will have the team in good stead ahead of the 2023 ODI World Cup at home later this year.
"It's outstanding," the former Indian captain said. "Shami has been excellent for a while and the way Siraj is bowling is outstanding. He's got the most number of wickets in the Powerplay and that's been an issue for us in the past.
"He has come in and rectified that. You can see that in his body language. He wants to come in and get the breakthrough, which is a great sign for us into a World Cup here. If he can keep it going for us along with Shami and Bumrah coming back as well, it's a great fast bowling unit."
Team India will next be seen in action during the three-match home ODI series against New Zealand, starting on Wednesday, January 18.
