Follow UsAhead of India’s first game of the ICC 2025 Champions Trophy against Bangladesh in Dubai on February 20 (Thursday), star batter Virat Kohli spoke about his likeness for the 50-over event.
Kohli compared the Champions Trophy to the T20 World Cup, saying less number of group matches makes this tournament super competitive.
India’s second game will be against their arch-rivals Pakistan on February 23 before they take on New Zealand on March 2.
“The tournament is happening after a long time. I have always liked this tournament. It represents consistency as you have to be in the top 8 of the rankings (to qualify). The level of competition is always good,” Kohli said on Star Sports.
“In ODI format, it creates the pressure of a T20 World Cup. There also you have three or four games in the league stage. If you don’t start well, you are under pressure. The pressure is from the first game itself and that is why I like it, you have to be at your best from game one.”
This will be Kohli’s fourth Champions Trophy (2009, 2013 and 2017). In 12 Champions Trophy innings, the right-handed batter has slammed 529 runs at an average of 88.17 and a 92.3. He is yet to score a hundred in the competition.
Kohli had a stunning 2023 ODI World Cup, where he amassed 765 runs at an average of 95.62. However, since that tournament, the batter hasn’t been in great form. In five ODIs, Kohli has managed 115 runs in five innings at an average of just 23 and a strike rate of 87.1.