Don’t want to be a format specialist: Virat Kohli

Hyderabad, Dec 7 (SocialNews.XYZ) India skipper Virat Kohli might have struggled in the first half of his innings against West Indies at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium on Friday, but he put all that behind him to ensure that he was the pillar around whom the team completed another successful run-chase. This time, India in fact went on to complete their highest successful run-chase in T20Is.

Kohli said that he doesn't wish to change his batting much, even though he did make it clear that he doesn't wish for youngsters to copy how he went over the top in trying to get the scoreboard moving in the first half of his innings.

"I don't want to change my game too much because I play all three formats. I just want to contribute in all three formats, that's what I want to do. I don't want to be a format specialist. When you are chasing a big total, there are a lot of distractions with the scoreboard pressure. But after a few dots, the game puts you in a position where you just have to hold your shape and play the shots," he explained.

Kohli now has 12 Man of the Match awards to his name in the T20I format - joint highest with Afghanistan's Mohammad Nabi. Interestingly, Shahid Afridi holds the second position with 11 awards.

It wasn't a typical Kohli innings to start with and he struggled a bit till entering the 20s. While he kept looking to up the tempo, the ball just didn't find the middle of his bat. But all that changed once K.L. Rahul was dismissed. Things changed drastically as he went from strength to strength.

Source: IANS