"I Feel The Same About World Cup Final": Virat Kohli On His Unfinished Business

The spotlight will be on the duo of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma as India kick off their new home season with the three-match ODI series against the West Indies today. Speaking to JioStar ahead of the first ODI, Kohli opened up about his competitiveness, his conversations with Rohit Sharma, and the memorable ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023 campaign. Speaking to JioStar ahead of the first ODI against West Indies, Virat Kohli weighed in on wanting to be the guy who takes his side across the finish line, while always keeping the bigger goal in mind:

"I've always been someone who, in every game that we play, wants to be the guy who wins us the game. I'm made that way, that's never going to go away from me. So, my goal is to win as many games as I can for the team and my dream is to play a match-winning knock in the finals, while chasing a score. If it happens, great. If it doesn't happen, we win the World Cup, I'll be as happy because eventually, you understand that, as much as that competitive nature is there, it's the last time you're getting to play a World Cup. So, winning that trophy is the most important thing. If I have the opportunity to do it, as an individual staying there out in the middle, there's nothing more satisfying as a batsman. You visualise yourself pulling the team out of trouble. And that's what makes you compete at this level. So, I don't want to let go of that competitiveness. But yeah, the bigger goal is always greater."

On having unfinished business after the heartbreaking end to a memorable campaign at home in the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023:

"Yes, there is a little bit. Before we won the IPL in 2025, I used to get flashbacks of the 2016 final. I feel the same about the World Cup final as well. I was playing on 54 and had set myself up for a big hundred; like, if I got 140-150, we would be in a great position to win that game. But as soon as I played on, it was very tough to process for many days. And you keep thinking about it. That whole World Cup was great, the environment was phenomenal. Within the team, you could see the camaraderie; everyone was happy playing for each other. Even losing someone like Hardik early on, we never spoke about what would happen next although it was a big loss in terms of what he brings. But, Shami came and you know what he can do. So, everyone had a feeling that it was our World Cup. There was a different energy altogether, and then when the game shifts like that, it's very difficult to process."

On his conversations with Rohit Sharma:

"When you have played for so long and you have been in leadership positions respectively for India, the goal is always that, as a senior player, you would bounce off things with your captain. In the same way, when I became captain, I would bounce off a lot of ideas with him. And MS equally, because he had just stepped down. And similarly for Rohit, when he became captain, he would bounce off ideas with me as well. So, the conversations have always been about how to take the Indian team forward. Because eventually, the end goal is, how does the team benefit? But of course, when the World Cup comes closer, then you're also looking to tighten things a lot more and streamline small little things. You go into more intense, more detailed conversations of how can we get a particular right, immediately correct it and utilise it in the next game. So, those conversations have always been there between me and him."

On being considered one of the best-ever cricketers to play the game:

"I don't consider myself the best ever. Different players have existed in different times of the sport, and they've done some amazing things, but might not have accumulated those kind of numbers, and some have numbers which are way better than me. But I guess, apart from this, everyone's main goal eventually is to create enough impact. I've been fortunate enough to have played for so long, and of course, when you're motivated to do well over that period, you end up performing more often than not. But eventually, the end goal has always been to contribute towards the betterment of the team and take the team towards the result that we want? As long as that answer is yes, and you mix up experience, your fitness, game awareness and motivation all together. So, I'm blessed that it's still there, and I continue to be excited to play for the country, which is a great honour."

Watch the first ODI of West Indies' tour of India today, from 2 PM onwards, LIVE on JioHotstar and Star Sports Network

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