Virat Kohli said he was glad to have played at the tempo of the game to make two hundreds in a row in the format and propel India to a score of more than 370 in the series opener against Sri Lanka on Tuesday.
After ending a three-year century drought in ODIs against Bangladesh in December 2022, the former India batsman scored 113 against Sri Lanka in the first ODI of the three-match series. Kohli now has 45 ODI hundreds, one more than the legendary Sachin Tendulkar's record of 49 ODI hundreds.
"I had a little break, a couple of practise sessions before this game. I've returned mentally fresh from the Bangladesh tour, where things didn't go as planned for me in the second half. I was really looking forward to the start of the home season and was hitting the ball really well in the nets.
Because we were under pressure, the way the openers played allowed me to play my game at my own pace and be positive from the start. I had to bat through the innings, as I always do in ODIs, but keep my strike-rate under control because we needed a big score and dew was going to be a factor. "I'm glad I was able to play at the tempo of the game and ensure we got 370 plus," Kohli said during a mid-innings chat with the broadcasters.
Kohli's century was his ninth in ODIs against Sri Lanka, surpassing Tendulkar's record. His 113-run knock, which included 12 fours and a six, showed flashes of his old vintage self. He also had luck on his side, landing on 52 and 81, which he readily acknowledged.
"I will take those any day. Luck is important, it plays a big part and you can just thank God that in evenings like this, it goes your way. We tend to get frustrated when luck doesn't go our way, but evenings like this are very important to remember as well, where I could have got out for 50-odd and ended up getting a hundred," he said.
"I am pretty aware of that and I am just grateful for this little bit of luck today, and bow my head and accept it. But more importantly, I am glad we have the extra 20-25 runs, and get more than 250 here because it will be crucial here," he added.
With dew a certainty in Guwahati, Kohli feels defending a total like 373 will give bowlers much-needed experience on bowling with the wet ball.
"We were chasing 330-odd points in that game (against West Indies at the venue in 2018). (323). We got those runs fairly easily because Rohit and I (Kohli hit 140) were in good form, and he ended up playing throughout the innings and finishing the game as well (151 not out). Throughout the innings, we batted at a high strike rate "said the 34-year-old.
"To chase down this total, someone has to get 150 and 140, which will be tough here. But it also gives our bowlers a chance to bowl with dew coming into play and practice on the areas they want to bowl in conditions like this. Hitting those areas and ensuring we restrict those runs as much as possible will also give them confidence to bowl in these conditions," he added.
Kohli signed off by emphasising on the importance of nutrition at the current stage of his career.
"I am quite aware of what I eat, diet is the most important thing as far as I am concerned at this age, like getting into 30s and the mid-stage," he said.
"That keeps me in prime shape because you need the right nutrition in terms of controlling your weight and fat percentage, but also the stuff that gives you energy on the field. I am always fresh now mentally to go out there and put my best foot forward. That helps me give my 100 percent for the team," he added.