Why do we watch sport? Do we only watch it to see someone win and someone lose? Is it only about winning or losing, or runs scored and wickets taken? Is it only about medals won or records broken? Or is there something as basic as joy—the emotion of sport? When you watch it, you just feel good. You feel nice watching something without really thinking of the end result. For a brief while, at least, all that matters is the emotion and the joy.
Watching Virat Kohli bat is much like that. From the time he walked in at Vadodara to the moment he walked out after scoring a match-winning 93, it was all about joy and satisfaction. Each shot was applauded and appreciated, and every run was cheered. The crowd was batting with him and alongside him, and each run was as much theirs as it was his. That’s what sport is all about, and that’s why Kohli is the biggest pied piper of our times.
Since Sydney, he hasn’t put a foot wrong. He is back to his best, scoring at a fast clip and showing signs of turning the clock back to 2017–18, when he was unstoppable. Each of these innings is a reminder that 2027 is for real, and there is no reason why Kohli will not be around for one final hurrah.
This is the one format where he has ruled the world. While he was brilliant in Test cricket between 2014 and 2019, in 50-over cricket, he has never had to search for runs. In fact, form has never deserted him, and maybe that’s why he carries an innate confidence every time he steps out.
From an Indian standpoint, there is nothing better than watching Kohli in full flow. He is one of India’s greatest ever and clearly one of the biggest crowd-pullers of all time. Each action of his is absorbed and consumed, and later replicated. The screams and cheers are real, and he is capable of elevating emotions to another level when he is out there. That’s what the world will miss once he decides to call it a day, and that’s why it is important to soak it all in for as long as he is around.
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From the standpoint of the global game, Kohli’s presence is vital. He can carry the format on his shoulders, and as long as he is around to play the 50-over game, there will be no apprehension about filling a stadium. Fans will come in numbers to watch him bat, and the sport is in safe hands.
Maybe that’s why people in England have already started to brace for a Kohli summer. On July 19, Kohli and Rohit Sharma are expected to turn up at Lord’s for one final time in their careers. At one of the most celebrated cricket grounds in the world, two players who have entertained millions will step out together one last time. That is pure joy. The emotion of it all. Sport at its pristine best – and the reason we love it so much.
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