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On Saturday, February 22, Team India got back to the field ahead of the much-anticipated match against Pakistan in their Champions Trophy 2025 clash. As the players took the field at their schedueld timing, star Indian batter Virat Kohli was seen arriving three hours early. Although, this wasn’t the first instance of Kohli hitting the nets earlier, a similar scene was spotted during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25.
With stakes ahead of Pakistan versus India clash, Kohli was seen knocking the nets. This gesture from Virat Kohli came after a lacklustre outing against Bangladesh where he scored 22 off 38 deliveries, scoring a boundary. But as he gets ready for the much-awaited clash, Kohli was seen arriving 90 minutes prior to the scheduled session.
Sanjay Manjrekar, Michael Clarke react seeing Virat Kohli arrive 90 minutes early for practice
Seeing Kohli arrive 90 minutes early with assistant coach Abhishek Nayar at the ICC Academy in Dubai to fine-tune his skills, former cricketers also lauded the work ethics of the batting stalwart. Speaking on Star Sports, Sanjay Manjrekar said, “I think he is trying too hard. Coming 90 minutes earlier to practice is a sign. He can come two minutes before the match and get going. I think he is trying a bit too much.”
On the other hand, former Australia cricketer Michael Clarke also called Virat Kohli as a big tournament player while adding that it won’t be a surprise if Kohli plas a big knock against Pakistan. “I think Virat is one of those players who thrives in big tournaments. He hasn’t been in the best of form, which is why he’s training an hour and a half earlier. That’s what great players do-when something doesn’t feel right, they make time to correct it before stepping onto the field,” Clarke exclaimed.
Virat Kohli will once again be seen in action when India takes on arch-rivals Pakistan on Sunday, February 23 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium in Dubai.
