At 37, Kohli reinvents himself to extend ODI dominance as Sundar ruled out of NZ series

Virat Kohli has tweaked his approach to counter-attack early in his innings and put bowlers under pressure to flip the momentum for India, the batting stalwart said after his match-winning knock in Sunday’s one-day international against New Zealand.

The number three batter crafted 93 off 91 balls as India chased down a target of 301 with one over to spare en route to a four-wicket victory in the opener in Vadodara.

After opener Rohit Sharma fell for 26 in the ninth over, Kohli refused to retreat into a defensive shell.

Instead, he took the initiative in a match-defining 118-run stand with skipper Shubman Gill (56), using controlled aggression to force New Zealand’s attack onto the back foot.

“Well, the basic idea is I bat at No.3,” Kohli said after winning the player of the match award.

“So if the situation is a bit tricky, I back myself to counterattack now rather than just trying to play the situation in because some ball has your name on it.”

Batting great Kohli is active internationally only in the 50-overs format. His masterclass on Sunday was the 37-year-old’s fifth consecutive 50-plus score in ODIs.

In his 17th year in international cricket, he continues to reinvent himself and said he now aims to make the most of the first 20 deliveries after coming in at first drop.

“There’s no point waiting around for too long. But at the same time, you don’t play outrageous shots. You still stick to your strengths, but you back yourself enough to put the opposition on the back foot,” he said.

“I just felt like if I push hard now in the first 20 balls, then we can probably string in a partnership straight after a wicket like Rohit’s where the opposition is going to go on the back foot.

“That actually ended up being the difference in the game.”

India take on New Zealand in the second ODI of the three-match series in Rajkot on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, India were hit with an injury scare ahead of their Twenty20 World Cup title defence next month after ⁠all-rounder Washington Sundar was ruled out of the remaining two one-day internationals against New Zealand due to rib discomfort.

Sundar complained of the issue affecting his left lower rib while bowling in Sunday’s opening ODI, which the hosts won by four wickets, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) said in a statement.

“He will undergo further scans, following which the BCCI medical team will seek expert opinion,” the statement read.

Spin-bowling all-rounder Sundar is part of a 15-man squad for the World Cup beginning on February 7, which India is co-hosting with Sri Lanka.

The BCCI called up the 26-year-old Ayush Badoni as Sunder’s replacement, handing him his maiden national call-up.

Badoni, who has played 27 List A games, scoring 693 runs and chipping in with 18 wickets, will link up with the squad in Rajkot.

“India all-rounder Washington Sundar reported an acute onset discomfort in his left lower rib area while bowling during the first ODI against New Zealand at the BCA Stadium, Vadodara, on Sunday. He will undergo further scans, following which the BCCI Medical Team will seek expert opinion. Washington has been ruled out of the remaining two matches of the ODI series.

“The Men’s Selection Committee has named Ayush Badoni as his replacement. Badoni will link up with the squad in Rajkot, the venue for the second ODI,” the BCCI said in their statement.

This is the second injury blow that India have suffered for the ODI series after Rishabh Pant, who was ruled out just a couple of days before the first ODI in Vadodara. The wicketkeeper-batter was ruled out of the ODI series after suffering a side strain last week, with Dhruv Jurel replacing him in the squad.

Tilak Varma, who underwent surgery for a groin injury, was ruled out of the first three T20Is of the five-game series that is set to begin on January 21 at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium in Nagpur.

This is a significant setback for the hosts, especially with the home T20 World Cup upcoming. Currently, the all-rounder is also part of India’s World Cup squad, but it remains uncertain whether the dependable yet injury-prone Sundar will recover in time for the T20I series.

Agencies