'Was 22, didn’t understand the magnitude of it' - Virat Kohli reminisces golden moments from World Cup 2011 triumph

Virat Kohli made his international debut in 2008. He was touted as a future superstar and 15 years later, he has established himself as a bonafide legend in the game of cricket. He will be one of India's go-to men during the ODI World Cup which begins on October 5 with an England versus New Zealand clash in Ahmedabad.

The Delhi batter recently shared his experiences of playing in the 2011 ODI World Cup which was jointly hosted by India, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh. The 'Men in Blue' went the distance under the astute leadership of MS Dhoni and ended their 28-year wait for a 50-over World Cup win. Kohli, who was just 22 years old back then, said that he couldn't fathom the magnitude of the achievement back then. However, after missing out on winning two ODI World Cups and five T20 World Cups since then, Kohli understands how the senior players were feeling after the triumph in 2011.

“My career highlight is obviously winning the World Cup in 2011. I was 23 at the time, and I probably didn’t understand the magnitude of it. But now at 34, and have played many World Cups, which we haven’t been able to win, So, I understand the emotions of all the senior players (in 2011). All the more for Sachin Tendulkar, as it was his last World Cup. He had already played many World Cups by then and to win it in Mumbai, his hometown, was very special for him. I mean, it was stuff from dreams,” Kohli said at a promotional event in Bengaluru.

The senior players were always under the pump during the 2011 World Cup: Virat Kohli

The 34-year-old noted how much pressure the senior players were under during the 2011 World Cup as fans were constantly urging them to bring the trophy home. Kohli also remembered the night when India defeated Sri Lanka in the finals in Mumbai was magical.

"I remember the amount of pressure there was on all the players when we were travelling, Thankfully, there was no social media back then. It would have been a nightmare, honestly. But through the airports, it was always just one thing - we need to win the Cup. The senior players were always under the pump and had to handle all that pressure. It was just brilliant. And that night (after the WC win) in itself was something magical," Kohli added.

'King Kohli' will be seen in action on September 2 when India take on arch-rivals Pakistan in Pallekele in the Asia Cup.