Kohli’s art of singles and his antidote for pressure

By K.R. Nayar 

Virat Kohli is known by many nicknames, but the most popular one is King Kohli. For a team that has the name “Royal,” it should have a king, and that is Kohli. When a king rules with devotion, it is bound to flourish, and that is what happened in Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s six-wicket win over Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on May 13, 2026, in Raipur. When Kohli cracked a match-winning century to propel defending champions RCB to the top of the table, many addressed him as the Chase Master.

When Kohli dominates bowlers, fans rise in chorus to hail their King. When he pursues a target, he transforms into the Chase Master. Bestowing him with a title is easy, but to score runs to be addressed in such a manner, especially after two ducks in the previous innings, is tough. Despite being the highest run-getter in the history of the IPL with over 9000 runs, when he played a delivery from KKR’s Saurabh Dubey to square leg for a single, he punched the air in celebration for that simple single. It was not just a celebration of getting off the mark but also a lesson on the value of a single. He also knows that, just as every drop of water makes a mighty ocean, it is these singles and his devotion to score runs that have made his team the defending champions.

If Kohli is among the highest run-getters in almost all formats of the game, it is because he has valued every single. While reporting many of his centuries and top knocks, I have always had the feeling that he has piled up most of his runs because he runs for his singles like a cheetah. It is his running between the wickets that has helped him convert singles into doubles and doubles into even three runs. And even after running for the singles and doubles with so much energy, one does not see him gasping for breath. It often seems like he is running a 100-metre dash rather than taking runs on a pitch.  

At the age of 37 years and 189 days, his lightning movement between the wickets speaks volumes about his fitness regime built on discipline and sacrifice. Writing about any successful batter often involves discussing his dedication, devotion, hard work, and determination, but when we write about Kohli, one has to include his devotion to fitness. It is his hunger for that one extra run, that one extra effort, that has earned him every sobriquet he wears. 

To control the hunger for junk or unhealthy food that are harmful to fitness is not easy. But Kohli’s hunger to run those singles overrides everything. So, there is no wonder that he is the fastest player in the world to reach 14,000 runs in T20 cricket. His unbeaten 105 against KKR was his 10th career T20 hundred (9th in the IPL), the most ever by an Indian. It is also his fitness that earned him the record for the most matches played in IPL history, with 279 matches.

Does this mean that Kohli is never under pressure, as he has played so many matches?
The answer to that was in his brilliant remark after receiving the Player of the Match award in Ranchi, when he said: “There is a reason people say pressure is a privilege—it keeps you humble. Good pressure always helps you improve your game. When a couple of games do not go your way, you feel a bit of nervousness, and that helps you and your game go up.”

It reminded me of Kapil Dev’s humorous remark about modern-day players complaining about pressure: “If they cannot handle it, they should open a banana shop or sell eggs.” Kohli’s remark that pressure is a privilege is a lesson for youngsters who struggle for runs, unable to handle pressure despite their talent. He also mentioned that all the numbers (records) people talk about are due to his undying love for the game.