Virat Kohli celebrates with the Indian flag after the team defeated South Africa in the ICC T20 World Cup final in Barbados on June 29, 2024
| Photo Credit: K.R. Deepak
Virat Kohli’s first T20I came more than 14 years ago on the tour of Zimbabwe. He made an unbeaten 26 off 21 in Harare to see India home in a 112-run chase. He batted at No. 5 then.
Fast forward to 2024 and Kohli has decided to hang up his boots from the shortest format after becoming one of the most influential No. 3 batters in the game. He had endured a difficult World Cup in the Americas, with only 75 runs in seven innings before his 76 in the final lifted India to 176 for seven. He made sure India had enough to put up a fight. Like he did all those years ago, as a 21-year-old.
Kohli not only had the runs but also the artistry. He always had an aggressive body language and a defiant shrug in the face of the most hostile bowling, riling up the opposition further. His tenure in T20Is, both as a batter and as a captain, symbolised India’s transformation.
Kohli’s greatest asset in white-ball cricket was his ability to break down targetss, earning him the sobriquet of ‘ultimate chase master’.
But the rapid evolution of T20st caught up with him. The demand for higher strike-rates and a less risk approach meant his recent years were a slow burn; it had occasional sparks of brilliance like his 53-ball 82 against Pakistan in Melbourne (2022) and the 59-ball 76 against South Africa in Barbados on Sunday.
At 35, he relentlessly pushed himself to meet modern T20 demands, showcasing his hunger to be the best. This relentless pursuit will be his lasting T20 legacy.
