At 36, it takes a lot out of me to put in that much effort, Says Virat Kohli

Virat Kohli shared his strategy for India’s high-pressure Champions Trophy match against Pakistan on Sunday, revealing that his plan was to be aggressive against the pacers while playing it safe against the spinners.

After guiding his team to victory with a brilliant century, Kohli, now 36, expressed his contentment at having a week-long break before the next game.

India's six-wicket victory over their traditional rivals has virtually secured them a semifinal place, and it has, in effect, eliminated the hosts from the competition.

Kohli's century off 111 balls was primarily constructed on singles and doubles at a rapid pace with just seven boundaries. Giving his interview after the match, he stated, "At 36, a week off is very good. It takes a lot out of me to put in that much effort," in regards to the next Group A match against New Zealand on March 2.

He completed his 51st ODI century with a four off the last ball of the game. Going into the decisive match, Kohli had struggled a bit against the spinners but played with accuracy. "It is satisfying to bat in that style in a big game, where a place in the semis was up for grabs, after Rohit (Sharma) got out (20 off 15 balls). My role was to play it safe during the middle overs, not go for risks against spinners and attack pacers."

Kohli, who had already registered his fourth ODI century against Pakistan, said, "I was happy with the template, it's how I play in ODIs."

Along with his century, Kohli achieved a landmark by becoming only the second Indian and third in overall history to score 14,000 runs in ODIs. He joins the group of Sachin Tendulkar (18,246 runs) and Sri Lanka's Kumar Sangakkara (14,234 runs).

Looking back at his strategy, Kohli said, "I have a good idea of my game. It's about keeping the outside chatter out, managing my energy levels and thoughts. It's simple for me to get drawn into expectations and hysteria around games like these (India-Pakistan). I kept reminding myself I'll give my 100 per cent while fielding. It's why I take pride in it. When you put your head down and do your work, things fall into place."

He also complimented his teammates, especially Rohit, Shubman Gill (46), and Shreyas Iyer (56), for facing the pacers on a tough pitch. "Clarity is key, when there is pace on the ball, you have to get scoring. Shubman and Shreyas have been outstanding. Everyone's got a good knock in these conditions, that'll bode well in the next few matches," Kohli said.