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Former India captain Virat Kohli said the intensity levels vary across different formats and competitions, highlighting that T20 World Cups, IPL and ODI World Cups bring unique challenges for players.
Speaking to JioStar ahead of India's first ODI against West Indies on Sunday, Kohli said T20 cricket cannot be viewed as a single category, as bilateral series, franchise leagues and global tournaments demand different levels of intensity. "It's different in different ways. T20 cricket can be broken down into three parts. T20 cricket in bilateral series, at least during the time that I played them, was very different from World Cups. The intensity of the World Cup was extreme. The IPL intensity was higher than bilateral series simply because of the level of competition in every game. All teams are strong now. There are no weak teams," Kohli said to JioStar. In the ODI World Cup, Virat Kohli has played 37 matches, scoring 1,795 runs in 37 innings at an average of 59.83. The right-handed batter has registered 5 centuries and 12 fifties in the tournament, with a highest score of 117 and a strike rate of 88.20.\ In the T20 World Cup, Kohli has smashed 1,292 runs in 35 matches and 33 innings at an average of 58.73, the highest among players with over 500 runs in the tournament. The right-handed batter has registered 15 half-centuries, the most in T20 World Cup history, and has been named Player of the Tournament twice, in 2014 and 2016. The Indian batting stalwart added that the unpredictability and pressure of T20 World Cups make them a different challenge compared to bilateral contests. The modern day batting legend has amassed 14,941 runs in 302 ODI innings at an average of 58.59. The right-handed batter has smashed 54 centuries and 79 fifties in the format, with a highest score of 183 and a strike rate of 93.95. "Every second game, you're playing against someone new. It's a new challenge, and it stimulates you in a different way. World Cups are different again. You're playing against different teams, but you only have about four opportunities. If you mess up in two, you're home, and it's a big deal. So, those intensity patterns were different in T20 cricket," he said. Kohli said ODI cricket provides teams with more opportunities to assess combinations and prepare players for major tournaments. "ODIs are quite simple. Bilateral series run at a certain intensity, and you're always working towards a big competition. You're utilising these games to figure out combinations, which player fits into which role, how you can utilise players differently, and how you start giving players game time under pressure," he added. The former India skipper also underlined the demanding nature of a 50-over World Cup, where teams need to sustain high intensity over a longer period. "The intensity of a 50-over World Cup is greater because now it's about 10 games at a T20 level of intensity. To maintain that intensity for 10 games in a big tournament and a World Cup, especially in foreign conditions, is a big deal. It takes a lot out of you," Kohli said. India are now shifting their focus towards 50-over cricket, with the ODI series against West Indies forming part of their preparations for the 2027 World Cup. They are scheduled to play five ODIs in New Zealand and three against Sri Lanka later this year, followed by three ODIs against Zimbabwe at the start of 2027. India's ODI squad against West Indies: Shubman Gill (captain), Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Ruturaj Gaikwad, KL Rahul (vice-captain), Dhruv Jurel, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Prasidh Krishna, Gurnoor Brar, Mohammed Siraj, Auqib Nabi, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Naman Dhir. (ANI)
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