“Promised myself that I’m going to play more freely”: Virat Kohli ahead of opening ODI against West Indies

New Delhi [India], September 26 (ANI): Indian batting stalwart Virat Kohli said he has promised himself to play with more freedom and take greater risks as he looks to adapt to the evolving demands of modern-day cricket.
Ahead of India's first ODI against West Indies on Sunday, Kohli, speaking to JioStar, opened up about his mindset and approach, saying he no longer wants to be restricted by expectations around his role in the team.
"What's changed is, firstly, I promised myself that I'm going to play more freely. I'm not going to worry about the expectations that people might have around me. My role had always been, for a long period of time, that I'm going to stabilise things," Kohli said on JioStar ahead of India's first ODI against West Indies tomorrow.
Kohli, who is one of the finest batters in world cricket, has played 314 ODIs, scoring 14,941 runs in 302 innings at an average of 58.59. The right-handed batter has smashed 54 centuries and 79 fifties in the format, with a highest score of 183 and a strike rate of 93.95.
The right-handed batter acknowledged that while he has always had the ability to play attacking shots, the situation of the game often required him to take a more cautious approach.
"I know I can play, I know I can hit shots. But the demands are such that if it's a tricky situation and you're playing on a tricky pitch, you eventually get into a space where you're like, I can hit, but I've been given a role," Kohli said.
Kohli added that he is now making a conscious effort to strike a balance between building an innings and taking calculated risks to add more runs for the team.
"This time, I'm making a conscious effort that if I'm set to make a difference in the game, where you can get 30–40 extra runs, I want to stay in a space where, if I'm choosing not to take a risk, it's because I'm setting up eventually to get to a point where I say, okay, now press the accelerator down," the right-handed batter added.
The 37-year-old also highlighted how the changing nature of ODI cricket has encouraged teams to aim for bigger totals, adding that he is willing to take more risks in favourable conditions.
"Now, the game is changing in a way that, especially if the conditions are fast-paced and good, and other teams are looking to push you towards 340–350, we should be able to get 350–360 as well. I'm very willing to take risks now because I know that if I make runs there, we'll get 350–360 easily. And if I do that and play longer, then I can hit more at the end," the 37-year-old said. Kohli said.
The former Indian captain said having faith in his teammates has helped him express himself better and maintain consistency at this stage of his career.
"So, I had to unlock a little bit of that freedom in my own mind. That's also helped me in the IPL as well. I was able to play with that same freedom because I'm not thinking that if I get out, the situation might get difficult for us. I have faith in the fact that there are other players around me who are very good and who will be able to handle the situation. I need to express myself fully and find a way to be consistent doing that. That's exciting as well at this stage of my career," the Indian batting stalwart said.
India are now shifting their focus towards 50-over cricket, with the ODI series against West Indies forming part of their preparations for the 2027 World Cup. They are scheduled to play five ODIs in New Zealand and three against Sri Lanka later this year, followed by three ODIs against Zimbabwe at the start of 2027.
India's ODI squad against West Indies: Shubman Gill (captain), Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Ruturaj Gaikwad, KL Rahul (vice-captain), Dhruv Jurel, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Prasidh Krishna, Gurnoor Brar, Mohammed Siraj, Auqib Nabi, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Naman Dhir. (ANI)