Hardly took break, played more international cricket than anyone in last 15 years: Virat Kohli

Star India batter Virat Kohli spoke about his preparations ahead of the ODI series against Australia, with the first match taking place on Sunday, October 19, at the Optus Stadium, Perth. India will be led by Shubman Gill, with Shreyas Iyer serving as vice-captain, while Virat will be a key figure in India's batting unit.

Kohli revealed that over the past 15 years, he has rarely taken a break from cricket. Having been away from professional cricket for the past four months, he said he truly cherished

the time off. The veteran batter will be making his 551st international appearance for India, while his long-time opening partner Rohit Sharma will feature in his 500th international match.

“To be honest, with the amount of cricket I’ve played over the last 15–20 years, I’ve hardly ever taken a real break. I’ve probably played more matches than almost anyone in the last 15 years when you combine international cricket with the IPL. So this time off was actually very refreshing for me,” said Kohli to Fox Cricket.

“I’m feeling as fit — if not fitter — than I’ve ever been. There’s a real sense of freshness when you know the game so well mentally, and it’s just the physical preparation that needs to be looked after. At this stage of my career, I understand that if my body is fit and my reflexes are sharp, the game awareness is already there. My body just has to keep up with it, and that’s something I work hard to maintain. I live my life with that approach, and right now I have no issues at all. I’m feeling fresh coming into Australia, moving well in the nets and in fielding sessions too. So, all good so far,” he added.

Virat Kohli enjoys playing cricket on Oz soil

The 36-year-old seasoned campaigner also spoke about his fondness for playing cricket in Australia, acknowledging that it is always challenging to perform Down Under. He added that Perth has been an iconic venue over the years, a relaxed place with a pitch that offers good pace and bounce, conditions he has always enjoyed playing in.

“It’s always lovely to be back in Australia, a place where I’ve really enjoyed my cricket. There’s been a lot of hard-fought cricket over the years, many battles, and through that journey I realized that if you play competitively and hard, even if you’re in the face of the opposition, you eventually gain their respect. That’s exactly what I experienced playing here. I have some great memories at the stadium in Perth. I love coming here — it’s a really nice, relaxed place. The wickets are beautiful to bat on, with pace and bounce, which I’ve always enjoyed," said Kohli.