Indian pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar talked about Virat Kohli scoring his 71st century. He said that although they knew that batter will hit the hundred not many expected him to smash in the shortest format of the game.
“I am sure he will also be mentally relaxed.” Bhuvneshwar Kumar after Virat Kohli’s ton
Virat Kohli was finally able to score his 71st century as he smashed unbeaten 122 runs against Afghanistan in the Asia Cup 2022 to silence all the critics related to his form. Notably, the former Indian skipper scored his last ton in November.
Kohli opened the innings for India and in what was a pure masterclass from him he made a mockery of Afghanistan bowlers. The 33-year-old first negotiated the tricky phase with the bat and when he was set he took the bowlers to the cleaners and smashed them all over the park.
This is such a fantastic interview between Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. pic.twitter.com/Z8clKxq8aJ
Advertisement— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) September 9, 2022
Coming into the tournament, Kohli was under a lot of pressure as he had a series of low scores behind him. However, he stole the limelight with his firepower and ended the tournament as the highest run scorer with over 260 runs to his name.
Kohli’s teammate Bhuvneshwar Kumar highlighted how this innings will be mentally relaxing for Kohli. Speaking to broadcasters he said:
“Everyone was very happy with the way he batted. Honestly, you expect from him that he will score a century, but it came in a format where you expect it less. No one had any doubt. I am sure he will also be mentally relaxed.
“He didn’t say anything but the smile was enough. The way he batted and how happy he was, the way he was smiling conveyed everything.”
“It is extremely enjoyable if the ball swings in T20s,” Bhuvneshwar Kumar on his performance
While it was Virat Kohli who set the stage on fire with a bat, it was Bhuvneshwar Kumar who stole the limelight with the ball. The Indian pacer rattled Afghanistan’s batting order and claimed his best figures in the T20I. He claimed the figures of 5/4 and helped his side win the match by a bigger margin.
Talking about the performance, Bhuvneshwar said that he didn’t expect the ball to swing for 6-7 overs and his only aim was to go for wickets. He said:
This is unreal! 4-1-4-5 in T-20 cricket. What an extraordinary spell of fast bowling by Bhuvi 🤩 #Bhuvneshwarkumar #INDvAFG #AsiaCup2022
— Vinay Kumar R (@Vinay_Kumar_R) September 8, 2022
Advertisement
“It is extremely enjoyable if the ball swings in T20s. But yes, I didn’t expect the ball will swing that much, especially till six or seven overs. When there is swing, there is an attempt to pick up wickets and to pitch the ball up.”
Both Kohli’s and Bhuvneshwar’s form will be crucial for Team India considering the upcoming T20 World Cup 2022. He will be next seen in action when India will take on Australia and South Africa in the upcoming home T20I series.
