I can say I am hungry as ever: Virat Kohli

Virat Kohli is in phenomenal form going into the 2024 T20 World Cup in the West Indies and the USA and the 35-year-old is as “hungry as ever”. The batting maestro is currently the leading run-scorer in the Indian Premier League 2024, having slammed close to 700 runs at a strike rate of more than 150.

"I can say I am hungry as ever. If I don't have the hunger, you will not see me in the tournament. If I don't have that mindset, I cannot play... Once the team atmosphere builds up, it's a beautiful journey. We had one in the last (ODI) World Cup (as well). We really enjoyed the World Cup,” Kohli told Jio Cinema.

"Unfortunately, we could not finish it off, but we had a really enjoyable time as a team. People loved watching us as well, and I am sure that we will have a really good tournament this time as well."

Talking about his biggest two regrets, Kohli said: "One was the ( 2016 T20) World Cup. I was in a space where I was feeling no matter what, I could do it. But those no-balls and this and that, that took me a long time to get over. The next day I was literally drained and couldn't get out of my room. It was very hard on me,” said Kohli about the semi-final against West Indies.

"And then when we lost the IPL final here (in Bengaluru). It felt like that was written in the stars - from the position we were in and then reached the final. We were chasing 200-odd (209), and in nine overs, we were 100-something without loss. When AB (de Villiers) got out, we needed 68 (actually, 71) off 42 balls with eight wickets in hand. If you look at it, you feel like how did you lose that game?"

His strike rate this season is the highest he has had in any IPL edition. Kohli said all he cares about is winning the game for his team. "I never asked anyone how to win games for your team. I have learnt it myself - by being in that situation, by failing again and again. You can win the odd game for your team, but if you are doing it again and again, it's not by chance."

He also took the example of MS Dhoni and compared it with his approach. "I always say that watching it from the outside and living that moment yourself are two very different things. People used to often say about Mahi bhai that why he takes it to the 20th over or the 50th over. But he finished so many games. He was the only one who knew what he was doing. No one else knew but he knew, and (he) won the games. For me, that is muscle memory. He knew that if he could take it to the last over, he would see it through.

"My mindset was different. I would always say, 'Mahi bhai, let's finish it in the 19th, or the 49th'. If he is batting with me, then it's different; but if he is batting alone, then there is no chance (of him finishing it off early). He will take it till the end, and the opposition would be like he would finish it with one six.

"So I never felt that I should go and tell someone that don't say all this. I know what I can do on the ground. I don't need any approval, or assurance, that I played so well."

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