India vs Sri Lanka, 3rd ODI: Virat Kohli was adjudged the Player of the Series after India scripted a 317-run win in the 3rd ODI and completed a 3-0 sweep of the series. Kohli scored 283 runs in 3 matches, including 2 hundreds.
In Short
- Virat Kohli scored 283 runs, including 2 hundreds in ODI series
- Kohli won Player of Series award in ODIs for the 9th time
- Mohammed Siraj picked up 9 wickets in the ODI series
PosterGuy: Star India batter Virat Kohli said the break after the Bangladesh tour helped him a lot to get rejuvenated and return to peak form in ODI cricket. Kohli’s comments came after he won the Player of the Series Award in India’s 3-0 win over Sri Lanka in their first ODI series of the World Cup year in 2023.
Virat Kohli won his 9th Player of the Series Award in ODI cricket as he notched up 283 runs in 2 matches, which included 2 hundreds in the series against Sri Lanka. Kohli began the Year, hitting 113 in the first ODI vs Sri Lanka in Guwahati after he was not picked for the T20I series earlier in January. The former captain was dismissed for 4 in the 2nd ODI but he roared back with 166 not out in the series finale which was also his second-highest ODI score.
Kohli has hit 3 ODI hundreds in his last 4 innings as he has hit a purple patch in the World Cup year. Kohli ended his 3-year wait for an ODI hundred on the tour of Bangladesh in December 2022 and he has not looked back since.
Kohli brought up his 46th ODI hundred and more importantly, looked in complete control against Sri Lanka in Thiruvananthapuram, hitting 13 boundaries and 8 sixes, the most he has hit in an innings. Kohli raced to 166 not out as he hit his last 65 runs in just 35 balls to help India post a mammoth total of 390 for 5 in 50 overs.
“I have no idea (about Player of Series awards). For me, it’s just a byproduct of the intent I have, a mindset that I play with. Mindset is always to help the team win, bat for as long as possible and if you do that, you end up making a difference,” Kohi said after India registered a record 317-run win in the 3rd ODI.
“I have always played for the right reasons, help the team as much as possible. It is just intent, playing for the right reasons. Ever since I came back from the long break, I have been feeling good.
“I don’t have that desperation to get to a milestone. I am just enjoying my batting, being in a space where I can relax. Today (Sunday) as well, I was just happy to be out there batting. I am in a nice space right now and want this to continue,” he added.
Kohli stitched two hundred-plus stands, one with Shubman Gill who shone with a 97-ball 116, his second ODI hundred. He then stitched another 100-plus stand with Shreyas Iyer, who chipped in with 38.
Kohli took the onus of scoring big in the end overs upon himself and flaunted his power-hitting game, sending a stern warning to rivals in thelead-up to the ODI World Cup in October-November.
KOHLI LAUDS SIRAJ
Kohli also heaped praise on Mohammed Siraj, who shone with figures of 4 for 32 after a stunning spell with the new-ball.
Siraj finished on top of the wicket-takers list in the ODI series, finishing with 9 wickets in 3 matches.
“Shami has always been there for us but the way Siraj has come up has been outstanding. He has taken the maximum number of wickets in the powerplay, which was an issue for us early. He is always making the batters think, which is a great sign for us going into the World Cup,” Kohli said.
India next face New Zealand in a 3-match ODI series at home from January 18.