On Sunday, October 19, former India skipper and batting stalwart Virat Kohli returned in Indian colours for the first time after last featuring in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 in March this year. Amidst
the highly-anticipated return to the field, Virat Kohli did not have an outing to remember as he was dismissed at eight-ball duck in the first ODI, being played at the Optus Stadium in Perth.
Kohli, who has named in history book in world cricket, was welcomed amid loud cheers at the Perth Stadium on Sunday. Prior to the series, Virat Kohli was last seen playing for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in their title winning IPL 2025 campaign and returned to London soon after the victory. While his decision to spend some time off the cricket field in London was criticised early, the cricketer has finally broken silence on the same.
I’m feeling as fit, if not fitter than I’ve ever been before: Virat Kohli on his return to international cricket
Speaking at prior to the series opener in Perth, Virat Kohli in an interview with Fox Cricket addressed his time off the field. Speaking with former Aussie wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist and former India cricketer and head coach Ravi Shastri, Kohli said, “Well, to be honest, I mean the amount of cricket I’ve played over the last 15-20 years, I’ve actually not rested at all, if that makes sense. I’ve probably played the most number of games in the last 15 years in international cricket, combining the IPL together as well. So, for me, it was a very refreshing time off."
“I’m feeling as fit, if not fitter than I’ve ever been before. You can just feel the freshness when you know you can play the game and mentally you know what to do out there. It’s just the physical preparation that really needs to be taken care of at this stage," Kohli added.
While he called it a refreshing phase, he is set to prolong his cricketing career hoping to feature in the 2027 ODI World Cup, which is set to be played in October-November. Notably, Kohli made his international debut in 2008 and has played 551 matches across formats so far.