CENTURION: Virat Kohli said he would never take his cricket talent forgranted after he finished India´s one-day international series againstSouth Africa as he started it — with a match-winning century.
Kohli was in dazzling form as he hit 129 not out off 96 balls to take Indiato an eight-wicket win with 17.5 overs to spare in the sixth one-dayinternational.
It completed a crushing 5-1 series victory for India, who started theseries second behind South Africa in the one-day rankings but finished asthe undisputed number one side.
The series was a personal triumph for Kohli, who hit three centuries andbecame the first player to score more than 500 runs in a bilateral series.He finished with 558 runs at an average of 186.00.
“You want to lead from the front with your performances,” said Kohli. “Whenthey come off so well, along with the effort of the whole team, it´s verypleasing.”
Asked how he maintained the intensity which he had shown throughout theseries, Kohli said: “I´ve got eight or nine years left in my career. It´snot a long career for a cricketer so I want to make the most of it. I wantto train as hard as I can and make the most of every day.”
He said there was no greater honour than playing for and captaining hiscountry.
“If I take it for granted it´s not doing justice to what I have been givenby God.”
He paid credit to “people off the field” who had contributed to his andIndia´s outstanding performances, including his wife, Bollywood starAnushka Sharma.
“She keeps me motivated,” he said. “She has been criticised in the past butshe is one person who keeps me going.”
The platform for Kohli was set by India´s bowlers, who bowled out the hostsfor a mediocre 204. Fast bowler Shardul Thakur took advantage of his onlystart of the series to take four for 52.
After Rohit Sharma was dismissed in the fourth over, Kohli took command.
South Africa´s batsmen had struggled to bat fluently on a slow pitch butKohli struck the ball with power and precision to reach his fifty off 36balls and his 35th one-day international century off 82 deliveries with 17fours.
There were two more fours and two sixes as Kohli finished the match with aflurry of strokes.
Despite India holding a series-winning 4-1 lead, Thakur was the only changeto a winning combination, replacing Bhuvneshwar Kumar.
Khaya Zondo, like Thakur playing in his third international match,top-scored for South Africa with 54 off 74 balls.
It was only the fourth score of 50 or more for the hosts in a series inwhich their top batsmen have failed to fire.
Wrist spinners Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal took their wicket talliesfor the series to 17 and 16 respectively, although Yadav took only onewicket and Chahal claimed two.
Chahal claimed the key wicket of AB de Villiers, bowling South Africa´sstar batsman with a flipper when he shaped to cut. – APP / AFP