Kohli finds his groove in resurgent South Africa series
India’s ODI series against South Africa wasn’t just a decisive 2-1 victory—it marked the emphatic return of Virat Kohli to the highest levels of batting dominance. In a run-filled display across three matches, the 36-year-old piled up 302 runs, including two centuries and a match-clinching unbeaten 65 in Visakhapatnam, finishing with an average of 151 and a strike rate of 117.05.
Kohli’s performance earned him the Player of the Series award for the 22nd time in international cricket, and 12th in ODIs. But more than the numbers, it was the manner of his play that stood out—calm, attacking, and unburdened.
“Honestly, just playing the way I have in this series has been the most satisfying thing for me,” Virat Kohli said at the post-match presentation after the third ODI vs South Africa.
He admitted to experiencing a personal resurgence, stating, “I don’t think I’ve played at this level for a good two-three years now and I feel really free in my mind and just the whole game is coming together nicely, [it’s] very exciting to build on. And something that I’ve always tried to do as a player, maintain my own standards that I’ve set for myself and play at the level that I can make an impact for the team. I know when I can bat like that out there in the middle, then it of course helps the team in a big way because I can bat long, I can bat according to the situation and just being confident makes me feel like any situation out there in the middle, I have what it takes to handle that situation and bring it in favour of the team.”
‘Free in the mind’: Kohli embraces risk, finds joy in his game
Kohli’s fearless hitting—12 sixes in the series, a personal best—was a reflection of his uncluttered mindset. “Well, you know, when I play freely then I know I can hit sixes,” he remarked, adding, “So I just wanted to have some fun because I was batting well, just take a bit more risk, just push my own boundaries and see where I go. There’s always levels you can unlock and you just need to take a risk.”
Beyond the numbers and records, Kohli opened up about the emotional highs and lows of being a top-order batter for over 15 years. “You tend to go into a space where you feel like maybe I’m not good enough, the nerves take over and that’s the beauty of sport, especially a skill like batting where you have to keep overcoming that fear every ball that you play and eventually play long innings and get into a zone again where you can start playing confidently. It’s a whole journey of learning and getting to know yourself better and becoming better as a person along the whole way. I can surely vouch for the fact that being a batsman and realising so much about myself, what kind of negative thinking patterns I have, where I can get into a zone where I don’t feel confident or when I’m feeling like myself, what are those small little details, it just improves you as a person in general and your whole temperament becomes much better and balanced over so many years. So, yes, I’ve had many phases where I’ve doubted myself and I haven’t been shy to admit that.”
Alongside Rohit Sharma, Kohli continues to shoulder India’s top-order responsibilities, embracing the demands of longevity. “That’s what we’ve always done over so many years and that’s why we’ve been able to play for so long because we’ve always been aligned to what the team needs and what we can do with our skill sets according to the situation,” he said, adding, “And yeah, just happy that both of us continue to do so even now and help the team.”
Gavaskar: Kohli can still reach the 100-century landmark
Kohli’s resurgence has reignited conversations about whether he can surpass Sachin Tendulkar’s legendary tally of 100 international centuries. For Sunil Gavaskar, the answer is a firm yes.
“Why not? Even if he plays for three more years, he needs 16 hundreds from here,” Gavaskar said on Star Sports, following India’s win in the third ODI.
Kohli’s remarkable consistency in the recent ODI series has not only silenced critics but also rekindled optimism among former greats. The ease with which he accumulated runs against South Africa has added substance to what was once seen as an improbable goal: matching Tendulkar’s century count. Gavaskar, like many observers, believes that such form—if sustained—makes the once-distant record seem well within reach.
“The way he has been batting, he has scored two hundreds in a three-match series. Going forward, even if he scores two more against New Zealand in a three-match series, he will reach 87. So the chances of him getting to 100 are big, very good. The way he has been batting, he is enjoying himself,” he added.
Gavaskar also praised Kohli’s fluency during his unbeaten 65 in the series decider. “The way he batted today (Saturday), knowing the match was almost in India’s pocket—he knew a good foundation had been laid by the openers and that batters in good form were to follow,” he noted.
“So he enjoyed himself in the middle. Very rarely have we seen this version of Virat Kohli—the T20 avatar—in ODI cricket. He played his shots from the second ball, and not one of them was reckless. Can anyone tell me whether there was an inside-edge or an outside-edge in his innings?”
Kohli’s return to a more aggressive, expressive style—reminiscent of his T20 fluency—was a refreshing shift for fans accustomed to his more methodical ODI approach in recent years. His willingness to take calculated risks, while maintaining control, is being seen as a sign that he is not just playing for milestones, but relishing the game again on his own terms.
India’s upcoming ODIs against New Zealand will be another opportunity for Kohli to build on his form, though Gavaskar raised a note of caution. “See, he has a month’s break before the New Zealand ODIs. It remains to be seen what happens to his form in these few days. If that break was not there, I am sure he would score two or three hundreds in the series,” Gavaskar added.
With 84 international centuries to his name, Kohli is inching closer to a record many once thought untouchable. If his current form holds, the road to 100 may not be as long as it once seemed.
