Teammate’s massive claim amid South Africa ODIs

Virat Kohli’s stunning century in the first ODI against South Africa in Ranchi has taken fans by storm, and former Indian pacer Ravichandran Ashwin believes the secret behind his impressive form is preparation away from the national cricket team environment.

In the opening match of the three-match ODI series against South Africa on November 30, Virat Kohli played a stunning knock of 135 off 120 balls, taking India to a contest of 349/8. Later, Kuldeep Yadav’s four-wicket haul helped India beat the Proteas by 17 runs in the final.

Virat Kohli’s heroics in Ranchi leave everyone awestruck

Since his move to the UK, Kohli has focused on individual training, working on developing his game away from the distractions and pressures of the Indian camp.

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Ahead of both the tour of Australia and the ongoing home series against South Africa, most of Kohli’s preparations took place in England, with only the final tune-ups taking place with the team.

Also Read: ‘We have seen one of the best knocks’ – Tilak Varma in awe of Virat Kohli’s Ranchi ODI

Ashwin pointed out that the difference in Kohli’s preparations is evident in his performance. The former India pacer highlighted Kohli’s focused training, including exercises targeting the hip flexors, as a key factor in his invigorating game.

Ravichandran Ashwin reveals the secret behind Virat Kohli’s revival

“I feel like he is training away from the noise and is not traveling with the Indian team; that’s why, wherever he is preparing, he is getting some good training. I don’t have 100 per cent proof of that, but from what I have seen, he has worked on his quadriceps,” Ravichandran Ashwin said in a video on his YouTube channel.

Kohli’s innings in Ranchi exuded sheer joy and confidence, as it showed the player completely in his element, and Ashwin was amazed to see his intent, footwork and overall joy while batting.

Ashwin explained, “What stood out was Virat Kohli’s intent. We all know what kind of player Virat is, he has nothing left to prove to anyone. The intent he showed and the happiness that looked on his face – that was amazing to watch.”

After a certain point, when there’s nothing left to prove, it becomes all about the fun of the game. I also like that Virat ensured that he played with complete joy, which is the most important thing. Virat Kohli looked like he was in the zone.

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Ravichandran Ashwin praises brilliant display as Ranchi makes strong comeback in ODIs

Meanwhile, Ranchi made a strong return to international cricket, producing a huge hit in their first ODI since 2022. The JSCA International Cricket Ground provided a fantastic batting surface, and both teams racked up a massive 681 runs.

The pitch played a major role in the madness – the real bounce, the lightning-fast pitch, and the heavy evening dew made batting look effortless from start to finish. Ashwin felt that the pitch was a classic Indian ODI, where every ball brought excitement and every stroke enlivened the crowd.

Ashwin concluded by saying, “This match gave me a feel of the classic Indian double Dhammaka pitch in an ODI. This pitch, even when South Africa were batting until the end, remained the end. If you walk into a batsman’s dream and ask him what kind of pitch he wants, he will take that pitch.”