Despite scoring a century in the series opener in Perth, Virat Kohli had an underwhelming run in the recently-concluded five-Test series in Australia in which he scored just 85 runs in the next four matches and his off-stump weakness was repeatedly exploited by opposition pacers.
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Indian batting superstar Virat Kohli has admitted he might not have another tour of Australia left in his career, and is “at peace” with whatever he has achieved till date. The former India captain dropped a major hint on his cricketing future while speaking at the Royal Challengers Bengaluru Innovation Lab in Bengaluru ahead of the 18th season of the Indian Premier League.
Despite
scoring a century in the opening match of the five-Test series in Perth, Kohli had an underwhelming run Down Under as the Australian pacers took full advantage of his
weakness outside the off-stump to repeatedly dismiss him for low scores.
Kohli could only score 85 runs in the remaining four Tests of the series, which
India ended up losing by a 1-3 margin to surrender the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
‘I don’t have the chance to correct it’
“If you ask me the intensity of how disappointed I’ve been… for me the most recent Australia tour would be the one that’s most fresh. So, it might feel the most intense to me. But I can’t look at it that way. I might not have an Australia tour again in me in four years’ time,” Kohli said at the event.
“I don’t have the chance to correct it. So you have to make peace with whatever’s happened in your life. Like in 2014 (against England) I still had the chance to go in 2018 and do what I did. It might not have been the case,” he added.
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Australia, however, has been a happy hunting ground for Kohli, who has scored seven centuries in this part of the world. Kohli had first toured Australia in 2011-12, and had taken over Test captaincy from MS Dhoni midway during the 2014-15 tour.
Kohli also holds the distinction of leading India to its first Test series win in Australia, having achieved the feat with a 2-1 victory in 2018-19. He had played the opening Test of the 2020-21 tour in Adelaide, in which the visitors crashed to an eight-wicket loss after getting bundled out for 36 in the Pink-Ball Test, before flying back home for the birth of his child.
Kohli assures Indian cricket fans he’s not making ‘any announcements’
The 36-year-old, however, added that he isn’t making “any announcements” on his future just yet, adding that passion for the game still burns bright.
“Don’t get nervous. I’m not making any announcements. As of now, everything is fine. I still love playing the game,” Kohli added.
The upcoming IPL season will be Kohli’s 18th appearance in the world’s biggest T20 league, with the batting star holding the distinction of being part of a select group of individuals to have played ever season since its inception in 2008.