Virat Kohli is steadily getting back into the groove at the ongoing Asia Cup 2022 in UAE. In India’s tournament opener, he played a vital innings in a tense chase against Pakistan and then struck his first international fifty since February this year to set the base for what turned out to be a match-winning total against Hong Kong.
Kohli had taken a break after the England tour and he later revealed that during that time away from cricket, he didn’t touch the bat. He though is back and said feels mentally fresh now.
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A video of Kohli running while wearing a special ‘altitude mask’ has been shared on YouTube showing his uncompromising commitment to maintain high standards of his fitness level. In the punishing weather of Dubai, the 33-year-old was seen running in the mask which is designed to slow down one’s breath – akin to what one experiences when in higher altitudes (mountains etc).
This was after Kohli had already finished batting in the nets.
Kohli was seen timing himself and had a member of Indian team support staff assisting him during the session as he tested his endurance.
Ahead of the Asia Cup 2022, Kohli had revealed how his mind and body were telling him to take a break.
“For the first time in 10 years, I didn’t touch my bat for a month. I came to realisation that I was trying to fake my intensity a bit recently. I was convincing myself that no, you had the intensity. But your body was telling you to stop. The mind was telling me to take a break and step back,” Kohli said in a video posted by Star Sports.
“I’m looked at as a guy who is mentally very strong and I am. But everyone has a limit and you need to recognize that limit, otherwise things can get unhealthy for you. This period taught me a lot of things that I wasn’t allowing to come to surface. When they eventually came up, I embraced it,” he added.
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