India’s star Virat Kohli has revealed he loves playing ODI cricket and feels the format tests his game completely. Kohli’s love affair with the 50-overs version is well-known among the hoi polloi. There is no iota of doubt that Kohli will hold the trump card if India has to go all the way in the upcoming ODI World Cup.

Virat Kohli batted at number three and scored 443 runs in nine matches at an impressive average of 55.38 in the 2019 World Cup. The talisman has amassed 12898 runs in 275 ODI matches at an average of 57.32 and he is regarded as one of the best ODI batters of all time.

Furthermore, Kohli has scored 554 in the 12 ODIs he has played in 2023 at an average of 50.36 and he will look to continue the good form in the Asia Cup. The linchpin reckons it is imperative to play according to the match situation in the ODI format.

“I love playing ODI cricket. I think for me, ODI cricket is probably the one format that tests your game completely. Your technique, composure, patience, playing the situation, and playing differently in different phases of the game. So, I think it tests you as a batsman completely, and I feel the ODI cricket has always brought the best out of me because I like to embrace that challenge and play according to the situation to help my team win.”

“I have always tried to do that, so yeah, as I said, it gives me an opportunity to test myself regularly, all aspects of my batting, and that’s why I really enjoy playing ODI cricket,” said Kohli while speaking on Star Sports.

Kohli has scored 46 centuries and 65 fifties in the 50-overs version and he will aim to be his best in the upcoming tournaments.

India will begin their Asia Cup campaign against arch-rivals Pakistan at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, Pallekele on September 2.