File image of Virat Kohli.© AFP
Indian superstar Virat Kohli has always liked the format of Champions Trophy as it demands the eight participating teams to be at their best from the get go. The Champions Trophy is taking place for the first time since 2017 when India lost the final to Pakistan. India open their campaign against Bangladesh here on Thursday. “The tournament is happening after a long time. I have always liked this tournament. It represents consistency as you have to be in the top 8 of the rankings (to qualify). The level of competition is always good,” Kohli told Star Sports.
Kohli, who has played three editions of the 50-over event in 2009, 2013 (when India won) and 2017, likened the tournament to the fast-paced T20 World Cup.
“In ODI format, it creates the pressure of a T20 World Cup. There also you have three or four games in the league stage. If you don’t start well, you are under pressure. The pressure is from the first game itself and that is why I like it, you have to be at your best from game one,” said the former India captain.
India will play their remaining league games against Pakistan on February 23 and New Zealand on March 2. While the tournament host is Pakistan, India will be playing all the games in Dubai as part of the event’s hybrid model.
Kohli will be aiming for a bagful of runs in the tournament after a tough Test tour of Australia. He was back amongst the runs in the preceding ODI series against England, scoring a half-century in the final game in Ahmedabad.
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