In Ranchi, Virat Kohli wrote another chapter of courage, putting to rest ODI retirement rumors by scoring 135 off 120 balls—his 52nd century, breaking Sachin Tendulkar’s record—to lead India to a thrilling 17-run win over South Africa in the series opener on November 30, 2025. With India amassing 349/8, Kohli’s masterclass—which included brilliant footwork, gutsy drives and seven long sixes—led to a 136-run partnership with Rohit Sharma (57), allowing Kuldeep Yadav to take 4-68 to defend South Africa’s difficult score of 332.
This innings of 37-year-old Kohli was his sixth ODI century against South Africa. The third match between the Proteas and Ranchi was not just a statistical fireworks show; This was a statement amid the ongoing debate over his white-ball future ahead of the 2027 ODI World Cup. After the match, Kohli opened up to Harsha Bhogle at the presentation, explaining why his mental strength has kept him going for so long.
Kohli shared with BCCI, “I never believe in too much preparation. All my cricket has been mental.” “As long as I mentally feel I can play the game, I work very hard physically every day—it’s not even about cricket anymore; it’s my lifestyle. So as long as I have good fitness levels, fun and mental sharpness, you visualize the game: see yourself running fast, reacting fast. Then, when the game starts and you get a start, you score runs.”
Despite playing more than 300 ODIs, Kohli downplayed long net practices: “If you have played so much cricket in 15-16 years, and you are in rhythm—reflexes are sharp, can bat for 1.5-2 hours without a break—then you are living up to the expectations. There are ups and downs; you play matches to get the form back. But at the moment, from my experience, it is being physically fit, It’s about being mentally prepared and excited. Everything else will fall into place.”
Reaching Ranchi early for the visualization, Kohli’s approach—prioritizing mindset over volumes—is at odds with BCCI’s domestic rules for seniors. Experts like Chris Srikkanth describe his and Rohit’s fitness as 2027 locks, which shows Kohli’s transformation: from attacker to intelligent, always ready to bat.