India's World Cup winning batter Suresh Raina is rooting for batting juggernaut Virat Kohli for the high-octane ODI World Cup clash against Pakistan at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Saturday, October 14.
In a recent column for the International Cricket Council (ICC), former India's star batter Raina lavished Virat for his exceptional performances in high-pressure matches, particularly when India face Pakistan. Raina said that Kohli thrives on these significant occasions and has earned the moniker of the ‘King of the Chase’.
Raina wrote, "The good thing for India is that Virat Kohli loves the big occasion. Whenever Pakistan comes into the equation, he aspires to be the hero, to seize the moment. It's why we call him the King of the Chase."
Kohli's ability to shine in pressure-packed encounters has been on full display in recent matches against Pakistan. In the T20 World Cup 2022, he played a pivotal role in India's victory by expertly steering the team to a challenging 160-run target. Kohli's unbeaten 82 off 53 balls in that game secured India's thrilling last-ball triumph.
Another remarkable innings occurred during the Asia Cup 2023 Super 4 stage when Kohli partnered with KL Rahul to guide India to an impressive total of 356 runs against Pakistan. Kohli's sensational 122 not out from just 94 deliveries earned him the Player of the Match award.
Raina provided insights into Kohli's preparation for such high-stakes contests, stating, "He thrives in this arena because there is a lot of pressure on him. He says it's just another game but he prepares himself very differently. He listens to a lot of Punjabi music, he loves to mingle around with the boys. And when the match starts, he switches on like a pro fighter."
Kohli's exceptional form has extended to the ODI World Cup 2023, where he played crucial innings to rescue India from challenging situations. In the opening match against Australia, he and KL Rahul forged a match-winning partnership of 165 runs after India was reduced to 2/3 within the first two overs during a 200-run chase. Kohli also showcased his batting prowess in the second match against Afghanistan by scoring a brisk half-century at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Ahmedabad.
It will be interesting to see Kohli if he again rise to the occasion and play a big knock against Pakistan to extend India's 31-year-old dominance over arch-rivals in the ODI World Cup history.
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