Virat Kohli getting out for a duck on his first International appearance in months was quite an anti-climax in Perth on Sunday. But teammate Arshdeep Singh believes the former India captain is not too far away from making an impact in the ongoing series.
Speaking at the post-match media conference after India lost the opener by seven wickets, Arshdeep said: “He has played more than 300 matches (ODIs) for India, so form is just a word for him.
“He knows how to get going. It is always like a blessing to be in the same dressing room with him, and going forward, I feel there’ll be a lot of runs for him in this series as well,” the left-arm pacer said.
Kohli, and fellow senior Rohit Sharma, play just ODIs in the international arena, having retired from Tests and T20Is. How does it feel playing just one format? Arshdeep doesn’t know the answer. “....talking about the format he is playing, he has mastered this one. So I don’t know how he feels about it. I will ask him about his feelings, and maybe tell you in the next press conference.”
On his part, Kohli too is looking forward to the challenges in Australia, a country which had a hand in shaping him as a cricketer.
“I am feeling as fit, if not fitter, as I have ever been before and you can feel the freshness when you can play the game and mentally you know what to do out there.
“It’s just the physical preparation that really needs to be taken care of,” Kohli told Fox Cricket ahead of Sunday’s game.
About his experiences of playing cricket Down Under, Kohli said: “...The Australian set up, how they played their cricket and how they were in your face all the time, intimidating and taking the game on, that was something that really inspired me to come here and do the same.
“That really tests your mental strength and resilience... I am really grateful to all those times because that shaped me as a cricketer and as a person as well.”