Kohli stresses on the importance of wickets in controlling the chase: 'Opposition can only come into the game with wickets'

Virat Kohli once again displayed his mastery in chasing down targets under pressure, guiding India to the final of the 2025 Champions Trophy with a brilliant knock of 84 off 98 against ODI World Cup champions, Australia, in Dubai. Kohli's innings proved crucial as India successfully chased down a challenging target of 265 on a tricky pitch.

"This game is all about pressure, especially big games like semis and finals, and if you go deep into the innings, and you have enough wickets in hand, the opposition usually gives in, and the game becomes easier," Kohli said after picking up the Player of the Match award. "It's very important to control your impulses while the game is going on.

"For me, what's important is to know the number of overs and the number of runs left, even if the gap's 25-30 and it comes to six an over, I'm not bothered if we have seven or six wickets in hand, because then you know, two set batters and we can turn the game around. The opposition can only come into the game with wickets. That was the plan out there."

Kohli came in to bat in the fifth over with India on 30 for 1. His 91-run partnership with Shreyas Iyer, followed by 44 and 47 more with Axar Patel and KL Rahul respectively took India close, before Rahul and Hardik Pandya applied the finishing touches.

Fifty-six of of Kohli's 84 runs came in singles, and his 98-ball knocked included just five fours and no sixes. Kohli, who had steered the chase against Pakistan at the same venue earlier in the tournament, said that the conditions dictated his approach.

"It was pretty similar to the other day against Pakistan. That was about seven fours when I got to the hundred. For me, it's about understanding the conditions, preparing my game accordingly, just rotating strike because partnerships - on this pitch - are the most important thing. My only effort that day and today was to string in enough partnerships. It's all dependent on the conditions, the pitch tells me how the cricket needs to be played and I just switch on and play accordingly."

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