Virat Kohli Roars Back to Form vs West Indies

A rejuvenated Virat Kohli, batting at a new position at number four, overcame sustained poor form to find a familiar flow of runs from his willow in the second ODI vs the West Indies at the Feroz Shah Kotla in New Delhi. (Highlights | Scorecard)

With an aggregate of just 109 runs in seven innings since his last ODI ton (136 vs Bangladesh in Fatullah in February 2014), Kohli put a price on his wicket to notch up his 31st half-century in the 50-over format.

Kohli's watchful essay of 62 from 78 balls included just five boundaries. The swashbuckling Indian batsman, known for his aggressive style of play was made to work hard for his runs, getting more than half of his knock in singles (34).

Walking in at 50/2 in the 12th over, Kohli was in no hurry to get going. It took him eight balls to get off the mark, but he only grew in confidence as the match progressed.

The trademark use of supple wrists for flicks through mid-wicket and the cuts behind point were soon on display as Kohli looked set to get the better of his lean patch.

With a confident Suresh Raina for company, Kohli looked far more settled and displayed his shrewd ability to control the pace of an innings. The West Indian bowlers, who would have hoped for Kohli's poor form to continue, soon began to run out of ideas.

Raina, who endured a first-ball duck at Kochi, paved the way for a run-a-ball half-century in the heart of the Indian innings.  

Kohli at the other end too was happy to bide his time in the middle. With a gentle dab towards mid-wicket, Kohli brought up his 63-ball half-century. A partly-raised bat and a relieved smile followed.

Playing in his home town with spectators cheering every run, Kohli was a picture of confidence.

He and Raina slowly seized the advantage from the clutches of the visitors, who surprisingly went 1-0 up in the five-match series at Kochi. After a solid stand of 105 runs for the fourth wicket, Raina fell for 62. In a bid to shift gears, Kohli looked to take the aerial route but failed to clear Marlon Samuels at long-off, falling for 62 to his Royal Challengers Bangalore teammate Ravi Rampaul in the 41st over. Thanks to solid foundation laid by Kohli and Rains, India posted 263/7 and shot out the visitors for 215 to win the second ODI by 48 runs and level the five-match series 1-1.