Virat Kohli shared his thoughts with Adam Gilchrist and Ravi Shastri on the Fox Desk at Optus Stadium. He spoke about his love for playing cricket in Australia. This was his first interview after he retired from test cricket.
“A place I’ve really enjoyed my cricket in. Hard-fought cricket with so many battles. If you play cricket hard enough, even if you’re in the face of your opposition, you gain their respect. I really enjoy coming to Perth, some beautiful pace and bounce to enjoy,” Kohli said.
Virat Kohli On Test Cricket Retirement
He also spoke about life after retiring from Test cricket.
“It’s been a long time off for me since I retired from Tests, just catching up on life. Being able to spend some quality time with kids, family at home is something I’ve enjoyed,” he added.
Australia captain Mitchell Marsh won the toss ahead of the first ODI and chose to field against India in Perth.
“We are going to bowl first. Looks like a pretty good wicket. Hopefully it’s fast. It’s always a huge honour leading your country. Hope we get off to a good start. The morale is great. We have some good young players,” Marsh said.
Exclusive: Virat Kohli’s first interview after Test retirement on Fox Cricket. pic.twitter.com/OBdqC6NbKJ
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India Vs Australia: India Led By Shubman Gill
Indian captain Shubman Gill commented on the toss decision, emphasizing the team’s mental preparedness.
“We would have bowled first as well. It’s all about getting mentally ready. We are in a good mental place. The practice sessions help. We have a great combination. Nitish Reddy makes his debut, we are going with three fast bowlers and three all-rounders,” Gill explained.
Kohli and Rohit Sharma Return for India Vs Australia ODI Series
Virat Kohli’s deep connection with Australia has always been well-known, and his return to the Indian jersey adds anticipation to the three-match ODI series starting Sunday at Optus Stadium.
The series also marks the comeback of Rohit Sharma, with both stalwarts taking the field for the first time since India lifted the ICC Champions Trophy earlier this year.
Zubair Amin is a Senior Journalist at NewsX with over seven years of experience in reporting and editorial work. He has written for leading national and international publications, including Foreign Policy Magazine, Al Jazeera, The Economic Times, The Indian Express, The Wire, Article 14, Mongabay, News9, among others. His primary focus is on international affairs, with a strong interest in US politics and policy. He also writes on West Asia, Indian polity, and constitutional issues. Zubair tweets at zubaiyr.amin