Virat Kohli vs South Africa has never been less than a tussle full of fire, drilling and the sort of dedication few of the contemporary sportsmen can have put in. And again, Kohli produced a masterpiece during the first ODI in Ranchi, and this is why he is regarded as one of the greatest of all time to take on Proteas. His century did not only steer India to a 17-run victory, it also gave a poignant glimpse into the mindset and preparation of a player who has reigned over the world of cricket and spent more than 17 years terrifying the cricket world.

It was evident that Kohli took this match with the seriousness that he had taken all his career ventures when he arrived in Ranchi early. To begin with, he was wishing to check the situation to sense the pitch and to spend several batting practices of the type, even though he had played more than 300 ODIs and more than 220 international matches in India. To one who now plays in only one form at all on the Indian team regularly, those additional hours on the nets were all about whether he could deliver his patented 120 per cent. The same preparation directly carried over to a second classical knock in the long history of Virat Kohli vs South Africa.

His attention was, however, not purely physical. Kohli has underlined the extent to which he uses visualisation by remarking that when he pictures himself as being sharp and intense against bowlers and maneuvering fielders, he knows the right state of mind. That understanding was full operative. He entered the field on the fourth over when Yashasvi Jaiswal was dismissed and he started off with Rohit Sharma and then KL Rahul. The easy singles, sharp edges and total control were guiding him to a fifty ball record.

With the passage of the innings, the pace of the pitch slowed down nevertheless, Kohli was in complete control. At last he made his 52nd ODI century in 102 balls  an innings with seven sixes, it was only the third occasion that he had reached over five sixes in an ODI. It constituted the ideal combination of experience, calculation and aggression which were the attributes of his legendary fights in Virat Kohli vs South Africa encounters.

The situation required patience, but Kohli never lost his course. He emphasized that he does not necessarily have to be that long and elaborate after so many years. Rather, he appreciates the intellectual acuity, fitness and stamina to endure long workouts on the training field. He feels that the rest will take care of itself as the reflexes are crisp and he likes the game. He made the most of this philosophy after anchoring the total of 349 of Indians after striking a full capacity home crowd.

The other thing that was interesting was his consideration of longevity. Kohli who is now 37 admitted that recovery is more critical as one gets older. He had his day off to get fresh after he came early and trained twice in a day and once in the evening before the day of the match. To him, discipline and physical maintenance of the body is as much a part of cricket as instinct and ability. To a large extent, this ODI at Ranchi displayed a combination of preparation and passion in Virat Kohli vs South Africa books.

To sum up, it is not any more than another milestone in the century of Kohli. It was a message– a renewal of dedication, attitude and superiority. His war against South Africa remains one of the most appealing tales in cricket and the innings in Ranchi will be remembered as another harvest to the fact that when Kohli comes on-field, he comes out at 120 percent.

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