Muristek
My life an example anything is possible, never thought I'd play 100 Tests: Virat Kohli
Mohali, March 3
Virat Kohli didn't have the slightest idea that he would end up playing 100 Tests for India when he first started out and as he geared up for the landmark game on Friday, the former captain and batting superstar said his life is an "example that anything is possible."
The 33-year-old, who is counted among the greatest exponents of the purest format, will be facing Sri Lanka in his milestone match. He said he gave his heart and soul to the sport and he still has butterflies in his stomach ahead of every match.
From scoring forgettable 4 and 15 on his Test debut against the West Indies at Sabina Park in 2011, Kohli has come a long way in over a decade-long journey in which he has amassed 7962 runs at a stellar average of 50.39 in the longest format.
"Life is unpredictable in many beautiful ways and I don't think that we should put any restrictions on life in terms of how many amazing moments you can witness in the future," Kohli said in an interview to BCCI.tv on the eve of the big match here.
"You have no idea what the future holds. So it's best not to panic or not to get demotivated by what might not happen because my career and my life is an example that anything is possible." Fans up to 50 percent of the stadium capacity will be at the ground from Friday and Kohli said it would be special.
"I hear the crowds have been allowed as well. It's going to be a special morning. I mean I wouldn't lie. There will be some butterflies," he said.
"There have to be butterflies till the last game you play for India. Once those butterflies are gone, you know it's time. They have remained for a long period of time and they continue to be. And this Test will be no different," he added.
Feels surreal
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Kohli will join an illustrious list comprising Sunil Gavaskar, Dilip Vengsarkar, Kapil Dev, Sachin Tendulkar, Anil Kumble, Rahul Dravid, Sourav Ganguly, VVS Laxman, Virender Sehwag, Harbhajan Singh and Ishant Sharma, all of whom played 100 Tests.
"It feels surreal, I never imagined I would play 100 Tests for India. It's been a long journey, played a lot of cricket over the course of playing these 100 Tests, a lot of International cricket.
Knowing the amount of Tests that we play in today's day and age, God's been kind. I have worked really hard on my fitness and it's a big moment for me, my family and coach. So yeah, it's a very, very special moment," he added.
Kohli has been the most successful Indian skipper in Tests having led in 68 matches, winning 40 of them.
The biggest achievement of his captaincy career was in 2018, when India beat Australia in their own backyard to retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. It took India 71 years and 12 series to script history as Kohli's defiant unit beat the Aussies 2-1 with wins in Adelaide and Melbourne.
"The way people look at Test cricket being played under me or just the way I went about playing Tests and how I thought and how I wanted to play Tests, it hasn't happened by chance.
"I have put in a lot of effort. I have really made sure that my core moral values, when it comes to the game of cricket, remain intact, which is wanting to play Test cricket and wanting the purest form of the game to stay alive." Kohli's batsmanship also revived the dwindling fortunes of the Test format and the Indian said he feels proud to have contributed to the it.
"If you have a bigger impact on your environment. It's a matter of pride and really something to feel blessed about because this opportunity comes very rarely to people and I was blessed with this opportunity.
"I've given my heart and soul to this format. I've had the privilege...and I have done my job to the best of my abilities. I have fulfilled my responsibilities." When Kohli took over Test captaincy, India were at No.7 in the ICC rankings and by the time he gave it up, India finished five years in a row as the No 1-ranked Test team.
"I clearly remember when I took over the Test captaincy, I had this vision for the team that we need to play in a certain kind of way and we ended up achieving that five years in a row, so immensely proud.
"It was something magical to be a part of you entered the change room and you knew that you could win anywhere and that feeling was so empowering," he said.
Maiden Test ton in Adelaide turned it around =============================
Kohli announced his arrival at the big stage five months after his Test debut when he scored his maiden Test century -- a 116 against Australia in Adelaide in January 2012.
"I think my first Test 100 is something that I remember very fondly and it's very fresh in my memory still," he said.
"That is one day that will always be very, very special to me. And also, knowing the fact that it came in Australia, made it much more special.
"For a young guy wanting to establish himself in Test cricket, that first 100 to come in Australia was something that really boosted my confidence. If you see my career, it really took off from there. My confidence grew leaps and bounds," he said.
Speaking about his fond memories, he said: "From 2015 to 2020, there were five-six years, the kind of cricket we played, each one of those tours or each one of those games is a special memory in itself.
"We've had some tough losses, we've had some amazing comebacks. I'm immensely proud of the whole phase.
"I can't pinpoint one memory. I mean, it'd be wrong for me to point out series win in Australia or, you know, coming out of England 2-1 potentially getting the trophy back with us." Kohli thanked his actor wife Anushka Sharma for being "a huge influence" in his life.
"I have become a completely changed man for all the right reasons. I have evolved in the right way. I'm very, very grateful and thankful to God to have a life partner like her and she's been an absolute pillar of strength for me.
"I started evolving when Anushka came into my life and vice versa. We have both helped each other grow. I wouldn't have been able to go on with so much composure and so much passion and zeal if it wasn't for her in my life," he said.