Virat Kohli: Appreciating Team Unity Over Individual Cheers

On Sunday, Virat Kohli expressed his disapproval of the crowd’s reaction when India lost a wicket during the first ODI against New Zealand in Vadodara. The crowd cheered as Kohli walked out to bat after Rohit Sharma was dismissed for 26, attempting to chase down New Zealand’s total of 300 runs. Kohli stated, “I’m aware of it, and honestly, I don’t feel good about it. I’ve seen the same with MS [Dhoni] as well [in the IPL]. It’s not a great feeling for the guy walking back. I understand the crowd’s excitement, but I try to focus on what I need to do and not think too much about it,” during the post-match presentation.

At 37, Kohli played a crucial role in leading India to a four-wicket victory, scoring 93 runs off 91 balls. Unfortunately, he fell just short of achieving his 54th century in this format, needing just seven more runs for what would have been his 25th ton in a successful chase.

Reflecting on his approach, Kohli said, “If I am being brutally honest, I’m not thinking about milestones at all. If we were batting first, I probably would’ve gone harder. But in a chase, with a set total, I had to play the situation. My main focus was getting the team into a position for a comfortable win.”

Kohli also discussed his renewed strategy at the top of the order, which has led him to score 50 or more runs in each of his last six ODIs. “The basic idea is I bat at number three. If the situation is tricky, I back myself to counter-attack rather than just wait around. Any ball can have your name on it, so there’s no point being passive,” he remarked. “At the same time, you don’t play outrageous shots – you stick to your strengths. Today, when I walked in after Rohit got out, I felt if I pushed hard in the first 20 balls, we could put the opposition on the back foot. That ended up making the difference.”

Published on January 11, 2026.