News
“I feel surreal, I never imagined I would play 100 tests for India”
Former captain Virat Koli will play his 100th test for India on Friday. Only 11 of his compatriots can say that. Here are excerpts from an interview he gave to BCCI.tv before the match:
On the important 100th test
Honestly, I never thought I would play 100 test matches. It was a long journey. He played a lot of cricket during these 100 test matches, a lot of international cricket. I’m just grateful that I made it to 100. With the amount of cricket we play today, God has been merciful. I worked very hard on my fitness. This is a great moment for me, my family and my coach, who is happy and proud of this test as far as I am concerned.
When a knock that changed things for him
I think my first Test One Hundred is something I remember fondly. It is still very fresh in my memory. This is a day that will always be very, very special. Knowing that he came to Australia will be very special. It was an overseas hundred, for a young man who wanted to excel in test cricket, for the first hundred who came to Australia, it really boosted my confidence. If you see, my career really started from there after this test match and my confidence increased many times over.
On the culture you put in Test Cricket
The way people look at test cricket playing under me as an Indian team, or just the way I played test cricket and how I thought and wanted to play test cricket, it didn’t happen by accident. I put a lot of effort, I made sure that the basic moral values when it comes to the game remain intact, namely the desire to play test cricket and the desire to keep the purest form of the game alive. That’s why we had to play a certain way.
I gave my heart and soul to this format. I feel great about contributing to the environment and my culture in more ways than just strategies and plans and trying to get batsmen out and trying to maneuver bowls. If you have a greater impact on the environment, it is a matter of pride and really something to feel blessed about, because this opportunity is rarely given to people.
During his stay as a test captain of India
I had the privilege and opportunity to create a culture that I think I have set as a leader over the last few years. I did my job in the best way and fulfilled my obligations. I look back very proudly on this period. I played with some amazing teammates, some of the guys who shared this trip with me for most of the test matches.
I clearly remember when I took the captaincy of the test, I had this vision for the team, that we have to play a certain kind of cricket and we have to be a certain kind of team in international cricket, and we finally achieved that five years in a row. So infinitely proud. It was just that the atmosphere was something magical to be a part of; you went into the locker room and you felt you could win anywhere and that feeling was so empowering.
You went on each tour without luggage, without any nervousness, without any hesitation. It was just an opportunity after an opportunity and something that when I sat in the locker room and looked around, I felt that I was able to fulfill my responsibility.
Virat Kohli will be one of only 12 Indians to play 100 BCCI TestsA moment he loves in Tests
From 2015 to 2020, these five or six years, the kind of test cricket we played, each of these tours or games is a special memory in itself. We had some heavy losses; we had some amazing returns. Infinitely proud of the whole phase. Looking back at how amazing and magical the trip was, I can’t recall a single memory. It would be wrong to point to a win (series) in Australia or a 2-1 exit from England, potentially reclaiming the trophy with us. We understand those moments that we experience every day, which is much more special than these things.
To stay motivated
I love playing this game. I’m still passionate about winning games for my country. That was my main motivation when I started playing. I wanted to play for India and win matches for my team. That was my purposeful motivation. I am still in this phase. Chat about statistics and numbers, his fantasy about people outside. I never focused on these things. If I did, I would not score the number of runs I have scored or reach the main stages in the last 10-12 years. Your intention must be right and it continues to be in the same space and this is the winning matches for India.
To play 100 tests for India
It feels surreal. I never imagined that I would play 100 tests for India. There was a time when I remember saying to myself that I would do my best to play for India. Nothing could demotivate or distract me anymore. I was completely focused on getting to the top and playing for a long time. Things developed in the way that the journey continued.
Life is unpredictable in many beautiful ways, and I don’t think we need to put any restrictions on life in terms of how many amazing moments you can witness in the future. You have no idea what the future holds. It is best not to panic or demotivate yourself from what may not happen, because my career, my life are an example of what is possible.
When going out in the morning on the 100th test
I hear crowds are also allowed. It will be special, special in the morning. There will be butterflies, I will not lie. There must be butterflies until the last game you play for India. They have remained for a long time and remain so.