It is not easy for any cricketer to spend time cooped up off the field, especially when you are used to travelling most of the year like Indian skipper Virat Kohli. Now almost five months after his last international match, Virat Kohli is back on the field training with the Royal Challengers Bangalore franchise in the United Arab Emirates.
Virat Kohli, who is also the captain of Royal Challengers Bangalore, is getting ready for the much-delayed start of the 13th edition of the Indian Premier League from September 19.
"When I had our practice session yesterday, it is (when) I realised how long it has been," Virat Kohli said during an interview posted on RCB's YouTube channel on Tuesday (September 1).
"When I was heading towards the practice session, I felt nervous, bit jittery, but I was OK. Honestly, I didn't miss the game as much as I thought I might.
"Maybe because I'd been going on for nine, 10 years before that and this was the only break I was ever going to get (which was) that long," the 31-year-old said.
The Indian skipper and his wife Anushka Sharma recently announced they were expecting their first child in January.
"The best thing was Anushka and myself were at home. We never got so much to spend together since we started seeing each other (in 2013)," Virat Kohli informed.
"Just being in your own home with the one you love, you couldn't ask for anything better. We just made the most of the whole time," the Royal Challengers Bangalore skipper added.
Virat Kohli has notched up 5412 runs in his IPL career at an average of 37.84 with five hundreds and 36 fifties. In the 2019 season, Virat Kohli scored 464 runs in 14 games with one century and two fifties.
IPL-13 is expected to be played behind closed doors, and Virat Kohli is prepared for an unusual setting.
"It is going to be strange, it is going to be new. Just the echo of (the) ball hitting the bat, I haven't experienced that since Ranji Trophy cricket back in 2010," the RCB skipper added.
Virat Kohli appeared confident that the players would adapt rapidly to the situation.
"We are... on the field doing what we do best. So I think the instincts will kick in and the crowd factor will diminish quite quickly once we get into the action," Virat Kohli said.
