I never feel out of place in Australia, it feels like home here: Virat Kohli

Virat Kohli coming back to form is probably the best thing that has happened to Indian cricket in the recent past. With India aiming to win the T20 World Cup and break the jinx this year, Kohli’s current form has been the cherry on top of the cake. The ace batter led India to a couple of wins in this tournament, and the most special one was against arch-rivals Pakistan.

Kohli surely has a special connection with Australia. He has been at his best on Australian soil, especially at the Adelaide Oval. He bagged his maiden Test century in Adelaide back in 2012 and announced his arrival into the game in style. Then again in 2014, he notched up two centuries in one match, hitting a ton in both the innings.

In a recent video shared by BCCI, Kohli spoke about the special connection with Australia and revealed that he feels at home when he’s in the country as he said:

“I don’t know what it is with Australia. Whenever I come here, it doesn’t feel alien anymore. I get a very comfortable feeling whenever I’m here. One thing I’ve noticed here is, if you perform here, you get all the respect and appreciation from not just our fans, but also the Australians. When I go out anywhere, the locals approach me and talk to me in such a manner that I feel very happy. I never feel out of place in Australia. It feels like home here.”

Right from the nets at the back, as soon as I enter, it makes me feel at home: Kohli

Kohli, who claimed his maiden T20I ton against Afghanistan at the Asia Cup 2022, came very close to achieving that feat in 2016, again at the Adelaide Oval. While playing against Australia, Kohli remained unbeaten on 90*(55), and thanks to his knock, India posted a total of 188/3. And recently, in the game against Bangladesh at the ongoing T20 World Cup 2022, Kohli amassed an unbeaten 44-ball 64* at Adelaide to continue his love affair with the venue.

After the game against Bangladesh, Kohli was named the Player of the Match for his match-winning knock. While speaking of it, he said:

“As soon as I knew the World Cup was in Australia, I was grinning from ear to ear. I knew good cricketing shots would be the key. I knew the kind of experience and game awareness of having played in Australia will come in handy for the team. I absolutely love playing on this ground. Right from the nets at the back, as soon as I enter, it makes me feel at home. That knock at the MCG (vs Pakistan) was meant to be, but when I come here, it’s like I’m meant to come to Adelaide and enjoy my batting.”