Virat Kohli in the nets ahead of the fourth India vs New Zealand ODI in Mount Maunganui. (Image: Sahil Malhotra/TimesofIndia.com)
Round 2 happened with Kuldeep when the chinaman made the right-hander play one back to his stumps.
As Kuldeep celebrated, Kohli played it down: “Ye koi ball thi wicket ki?,” he said before deciding to pause. From the moment he entered the covered nets area, the ODI stalwart was unusually chirpy as he faced the trio of Gurnoor Brar, Mohammed Siraj and Arshdeep Singh . Speaking fluent Punjabi, he questioned the fielding setup and gave feedback on bowling lengths to Brar and Arshdeep. He faced a mix of fast bowling, spin and throwdowns, but he brought match-like energy, making it a very lively session for the squad. There was the occasional chatter with head coach Gautam Gambhir and plenty of laughs, but what stood out was his unwillingness to give an inch. No matter what he did or who he faced, Kohli simulated match-like energy in the semi-closed setting and didn’t leave the facility without ticking off his required boxes. Right from the football session with Brar to his cool-down chat with stand-in skipper Shreyas Iyer , Kohli’s afternoon had purpose written all over it. As he walked back, the fans wanted a piece of the Indian superstar.
TimesofIndia.com in Mount Maunganui: Virat Kohli on Thursday meant business when the team assembled for training ahead of the fourth ODI against New Zealand. It was a long hit for Kohli on Thursday.
