Virat Kohli once again demonstrated why he remains one of the premier batsmen in world cricket as India chased down 301 against New Zealand in the first ODI at Vadodara’s BCA Stadium in Vadodara. The 37-year-old played a commanding knock of 93 runs off 91 balls, hitting eight fours and a six, and was supported by Shubman Gill, who scored 56, and Shreyas Iyer with 49. Cameos from KL Rahul and Harshit Rana helped India complete the chase in 49 overs, securing a four-wicket victory.
The match also highlighted an unusual crowd dynamic. Fans watching their first-ever ODI erupted when Rohit Sharma was dismissed, cheering in anticipation of seeing Kohli take the crease. Kohli acknowledged the incident after the match, expressing mixed feelings about the reaction.
“I’m aware of it, and honestly, I don’t feel good about it. I’ve seen the same thing happen with MS as well. It’s not a great feeling for the guy walking back. I understand the crowd’s excitement, but I try to focus on what I need to do and not think too much about it. I’m extremely grateful. It’s a blessing, honestly. To give so much happiness to so many people just by doing what you love – playing the sport you’ve loved since childhood – what more can I ask for? I’m living my dream, and seeing people smile makes me happy,” Kohli said in the post-match presentation.
Kohli explains his role at number three
Kohli’s innings proved crucial in controlling the momentum of the match. The pitch in Vadodara offered challenges, but he struck regular boundaries and strategically paced his innings to put the opposition under pressure.
“The basic idea is I bat at number three, if the situation is tricky, I back myself to counterattack rather than just waiting around. Any ball can have your name on it, so there’s no point being passive. At the same time, you don’t play outrageous shots – you stick to your strengths. Today, when I walked in after Rohit got out, I felt if I pushed hard in the first 20 balls, we could put the opposition on the back foot. That ended up making the difference,” he added.
He was eventually named the Player of the Match as India took a 1-0 lead with a win in the penultimate over of the match.
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