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At 37, Kohli reinvents himself to extend ODI dominance

Virat Kohli has tweaked his approach to counter-attack early in his innings and put bowlers under pressure to flip the momentum for India, the batting stalwart said after his match-winning knock in Sunday’s one-day international against New Zealand.

The number three batter crafted 93 off 91 balls as India chased down a target of 301 with one over to spare en route to a four-wicket victory in the opener in Vadodara.

After opener Rohit Sharma fell for 26 in the ninth over, Kohli refused to retreat into a defensive shell.

Instead, he took the initiative in a match-defining 118-run stand with skipper Shubman Gill (56), using controlled aggression to force New Zealand’s attack onto the back foot.

“Well, the basic idea is I bat at No.3,” Kohli said after winning the player of the match award.

“So if the situation is a bit tricky, I back myself to counterattack now rather than just trying to play the situation in because some ball has your name on it.”

Batting great Kohli is active internationally only in the 50-overs format.

His masterclass on Sunday was the 37-year-old’s fifth consecutive 50-plus score in ODIs.

In his 17th year in international cricket, he continues to reinvent himself and said he now aims to make the most of the first 20 deliveries after coming in at first drop.

“There’s no point waiting around for too long. But at the same time, you don’t play outrageous shots. You still stick to your strengths, but you back yourself enough to put the opposition on the back foot,” he said.

“I just felt like if I push hard now in the first 20 balls, then we can probably string in a partnership straight after a wicket like Rohit’s where the opposition is going to go on the back foot.

“That actually ended up being the difference in the game.”

India take on New Zealand in the second ODI of the three-match series in Indore on Sunday.

Header image: India’s Virat Kohli walks back to the pavilion after his dismissal during the first one-day international (ODI) cricket match between India and New Zealand at the Kotambi Stadium in Vadodara on January 11, 2026. — AFP



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