In an age where the razzmatazz of T20 cricket dominates eyeballs and Test cricket rides the nostalgia wave, India’s batting titan Virat Kohli has once again thrown his weight behind the 50-over format, calling ODIs a format that still demands “all facets of the game.”
Speaking on the latest episode of the RCB Podcast, Kohli delved deep into the soul of ODI cricket -- a format he has practically owned over the past decade -- underlining how its layered nature continues to challenge and shape a cricketer.
“You need to bring in all aspects -- patience, power, stamina, intensity. That’s the beauty of ODIs. People saw that in the Champions Trophy too,” Kohli said.
“It’s not a slow format. You need to show T20-like intent for 50 overs straight.”
Kohli, whose ODI resume reads like a modern-day epic -- 14,181 runs in 302 matches at a staggering average of 57.88, including a record 51 centuries -- believes that the current crop, raised on the sugar-rush of T20s and accustomed to flat decks, struggle to adapt to the shifting gears ODIs demand.
“You can’t always play in T20 mode. Sometimes the situation calls for striking at 90–92, rotating strike, and picking boundaries carefully,” he explained, highlighting how ODI cricket is a thinking man’s game.
Kohli’s reflections weren’t merely theoretical. He drew from his own experience during India’s successful 2013 Champions Trophy campaign -- a tournament where he averaged over 54. “Pitches were challenging. The format was short. And people stayed engaged.”
For Kohli, ODIs still hold space for that classic contest -- bat vs ball, power vs restraint -- and crucially, character vs pressure.
“It’s during big tournaments that the real character of players comes through,” he said, subtly taking a dig at the fluffiness of bilateral series.
“In IPL, you get 14 games. In tournaments like the World Cup, you mess up twice, and you’re out.”
The 36-year-old underlined that mastering the middle overs -- often neglected in highlight reels -- is key.
“Everyone talks about the powerplay and death overs, but it’s the 11th to the 40th over where you win or lose games. How do you control that phase as a batting or bowling unit? That’s where the real game lies.”
He also touched upon a key tenet of his own game: calmness. “Some guys feel the itch if they don’t hit a boundary in three overs. I’m okay rotating strike, picking the odd four. My focus is always: where are we at the 15-over mark, what are we setting up by the 35th?”
Kohli’s reverence for ODIs isn’t romanticism. It’s rooted in the science and psychology of a format that demands more than just flair. As he put it — “You have to evolve. My generation learned the explosive game, but only after understanding the art of soaking pressure and rotating strike. You have to learn from each other — that’s how you build a well-rounded game.”
© 2025