IND vs AUS 1st ODI: Kohli opens up on his break after retiring from Test cricket

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Team India batsman Virat Kohli, who retired from Test cricket earlier this year, revealed that the break allowed him to spend quality time with his family.

He also labelled the period as a “beautiful phase” of his life.

While speaking to Ravi Shastri and Adam Gilchrist on Fox Cricket, Kohli said, “It`s been a long time off for me since I retired from Test cricket. And yeah, as I was just saying, just catching up on life. You know, I haven`t been able to do anything for the last, I don`t know how many years. And yeah, just being able to spend some time, some quality time with your kids, with family at home. It`s been a beautiful, beautiful phase and something that I`ve really enjoyed”.

The veteran also retired from the shortest format of the game after Team India`s T20 World Cup 2024 triumph. Currently, he is playing just one format in international cricket, One-Day Internationals (ODIs).

The ongoing ODI series against Australia is also Kohli`s first appearance for Team India since the Champions Trophy 2025 triumph. Following the victory, Kohli registered another major title win when the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) won Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025.

In 303 ODIs and 291 innings, Kohli has made 14,181 runs at an average of 57.64, making him the third-highest run-getter of all time. He also has 51 centuries and 74 fifties to his name. Kohli is just 54 runs away from moving ahead of Sri Lankan legend Kumar Sangakkara (14,234 runs in 404 matches) in becoming the second-highest run-getter in ODIs. 

Currently, Kohli (51 tons in ODIs) and Sachin Tendulkar (51 in Tests) are equal owners of record for most centuries by a batter in a single format. One more century would mark his 52nd century in ODIs, marking the most centuries by a batter within a single format.

However, the Delhi-born cricketer endured a poor outing with the willow during the first ODI match against the Aussies at the Optus Stadium in Perth. Facing eight balls, the right-hander returned to the pavilion on a duck. The second ODI match between India and Australia is scheduled to be played on October 23 at the Adelaide Oval.

(With ANI Inputs)

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