Cricket can sometimes generate an inquiry that feels less of a puzzle than a trick from the universe: What is the way to keep Virat Kohli from hitting? Coaches will write out a plan, analysts will create wagon-wheel charts and diagrams for their fielding positions, and captains will position players in unorthodox ways, but when Kohli is playing as if he has gone into a trance-like state, it seems as though all plans are nothing more than wet paper towels.
Pacing Control That Breaks the Fielding Unit’s Spirit
Kohli’s greatest skill isn’t shot-making; it’s tempo command. His first 50 came off 48 balls, the second off 52, like a metronome choosing when to swing faster. Rarely does a batter engineer rhythm shifts without giving bowlers a window of chaos.
In Ranchi, he didn’t even need the drama, just the basics done with surgical neatness. Even a mid-innings disruption, courtesy of a fan rushing on to kiss his feet, didn’t rattle him. He responded by clattering four boundaries and two sixes in seven balls off Subrayen and Baartman. That’s not focus; that’s competitive spite.
Partnership Building as a Tactical Weapon
India’s innings was effectively a three-hour masterclass in cricketing project management. Kohli first anchored a 136-run stand with Rohit Sharma, absorbing early pressure. Then, shifting into accelerator mode, he batted through three more partnerships, the last 74 off 76 with KL Rahul setting up India’s final flourish, where Rahul and Jadeja plundered 65 off 36.
This pattern isn’t new. Kohli has turned ODI partnerships into a repeatable algorithm: stabilise, escalate, devastate. In games where he scores a hundred, India has lost only 14 times. That’s statistical domination bordering on strategy.
South Africa’s Brief Rebellion and Kuldeep’s Brake Lever
A 349 chase looked suicidal when South Africa stumbled to 11/3. But Matthew Breetzke crafted a counterattacking 97-run alliance with Marco Jansen, whose 70 off 39 momentarily froze the Indian dressing room.
Next was the 34th-over surprise turn: Kuldeep Yadav dismissed Jansen and Breetzke with three consecutive deliveries; that was it, game done pretending to be a match. The 67 by Bosch showed defiance and provided some good-looking numbers; however, the spark had gone out. A 4/68 from Yadav sealed an eventual 17-run victory, which cleared the way for the obvious attention to follow: Kohli.
The Mental Engine That Still Runs Like 2016
Kohli’s own post-match words revealed the secret ingredient most bowlers wish he didn’t possess: clarity. He spoke of playing “just me and the ball,” visualising motion, chasing intensity, sharpening the mental edge rather than dwelling on mechanics. This attitude, more than his technique, explains why he can still torment international attacks after 17 years. The body obeys the brain, and Kohli’s brain remains calibrated for war.
Kohli’s Ranchi century was more than a numerical achievement; it demonstrated the extent of Kohli’s ability to transcend all formats of the game, as well as the trends associated with age and the opinions of those who are too quick to judge Kohli as declining based on minor downturns in form. He did this against a team that Kohli has made mincemeat out of for 15 years, by demonstrating his dominance in terms of how he reads conditions early, sets the pace of play, and is always several strides ahead mentally.
Cricket has figured out new balls, powerplays, DLS quirks, and match-ups. But the enigma of Virat Kohli? Still unsolved, and perhaps unsolvable.
Key Takeaway
Kohli hasn’t aged out of greatness; he has upgraded it.
FAQs
- What makes Kohli’s ODI centuries so influential?
Because India rarely loses when he scores one, only 14 defeats across his century-making matches.
- Why was Ranchi special for Kohli?
He broke Tendulkar’s record for most centuries in a single format with a vintage 135.
- How did South Africa lose despite the fightback?
Kuldeep’s double strike in the 34th over ended the only threatening partnership.
Disclaimer: This blog post reflects the author’s personal insights and analysis. Readers are encouraged to consider the perspectives shared and draw their own conclusions.
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