If I'm arriving somewhere, I'll arrive 120% - Virat Kohli

India rode high on Virat Kohli’s brilliance, with the Men in Blue registering a thrilling win against South Africa in Ranchi as they surged 1-0 ahead in the three-match series. Kohli smashed his 83rd ton, blasting 135 from just 120 balls as India totted up 349 runs from their allotment of 50 overs which proved to be just enough at the end.

Kohli bagged the Player of the Match award for his match-winning knock. Talking at the post-match presentation, Kohli highlighted the conditions that prevailed in Jharkhand while underlining the kind of preparation that he came into the game with.

Delineating the conditions, Kohli said, “Well, today was really nice to kind of get into the game like that. The pitch played quite decently in the first 20-25 overs before it started to slow down. So, I just felt like, you know, let me just go out there and just hit the ball. Not think too much about any of the other stuff. It's just me and the ball coming at me and just enjoying the game of cricket, which was the very reason I started playing this game.”

He further added, “So, it was just about staying in the space of enjoyment and, of course, when you get a start and you get into the situation, then you know what you've done over so many years and the experience kicks in and then you understand the situation and able to build an innings. “

Talking about his preparations, Kohli added, “You know, I've never been a big believer of a lot of preparation, if that makes sense. All my cricket has been mental. As long as I feel mentally I can play the game, I work physically very hard every day of my life. It's got nothing to do with cricket anymore. It's the way I live. So, as long as my fitness levels are up and my mental enjoyment and sharpness is there, when you can visualize the game and you see yourself running as hard, reacting fast on the ball, then you know it's fine.”

He concluded by saying, “I mean, one of the days when the game opens up and you get a start, you'll be able to score some runs. (the hunger is still there!) Well, as you know, I've said it many times before, if I'm arriving somewhere, I'll arrive 120%.”