MS Dhoni kept me calm towards the end: Virat Kohli

The last 10 overs of the match saw India require 96 runs. An improbable equation for any batsman. However, with Virat Kohli in the middle and striking the ball with the confidence and guile that he did, it almost felt as though he was expected to pull off the unexpected win. At the end of the epic run chase, Kohli dropped to his knees, an iconic moment for all those present. That picture may well enter some of the history textbooks in schools.

Speaking after India’s massive and impressive 6-wicket win, Virat Kohli credited his skipper MS Dhoni for calming him and ensuring that he didn’t get overwhelmed or excited by the situation. Kohli also acknowledged the fan support, stating that it was something each and every sportsperson craved.

“It was a pretty emotional feeling when I saw Dhoni hitting the winning runs. I don’t really know what to say. It virtually felt like you are out of the tournament at the end of 10 overs. To pull the game back after that along with MS Dhoni – I don’t know how we did it. Even out there in the middle, I didn’t know how this was happening. I am just grateful that I was able to do it for the team. That is the reason you play the sport. That is the feeling that you crave as a sports person. It is such a wonderful moment for your team. To see your teammates celebrate and get happy is a wonderful feeling,” the 27-year-old said.

“Credit to MS Dhoni. He kept me calm and kept telling me – ‘Pick your areas, these many runs are left in these many balls’. He didn’t want me to get carried away or over excited. He just kept telling me what are the areas I could pick and that just gave me assurance. If I was going to go towards covers, he would give me assurance again and I became confident. I think that is where communication and partnership helps. It was wonderful to pull the team out of that situation.

Virat Kohli, the man of the match, beyond a shout of a doubt, stated that sprinting the twos helped massively in the Indian cause as the Aussies began to panic due to that.

“I think what really helped was him running those twos. The opposition panicked a bit because of that. They were unsettled because they knew we could run the runs as well and get 12 off one over without taking a risk. I think that is when the bowlers started thinking too much,” he added.