IND vs PAK: Virat Kohli’s Unbelievable Dedication – His Early Arrival For Practice!

Virat Kohli arrived an hour earlier than the rest of the Indian cricket team on Saturday, a day before the much-anticipated match against Pakistan in the Champions Trophy. He was accompanied by batting coach Sitanshu Kotak and throw-down specialists Nuwan Seneviratne and D Raghvendra as he put in extra practice ahead of the big game.

By the time the rest of the team showed up and began their warm-up, Kohli had already finished his first net session.

About 15 minutes later, Kohli took off his batting gear and went to the dressing room to rest, placing an ice pack on his left leg.

India's practice session was originally scheduled to start at 1 PM local time (2:30 PM IST), but Virat Kohli had a separate session to work on his batting struggles. His recent dismissals have been a concern, as he has repeatedly gotten out while playing with an open face of the bat.

Virat Kohli arrived 3 hours prior to the scheduled practice time.

- He called some of the top UAE bowlers to practice against. (Vibhu Bhola). pic.twitter.com/KhTgNijTMT

— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) February 22, 2025

Former Australian captain Michael Clarke praised Virat Kohli for working hard to regain his form after a slow start in the Champions Trophy against Bangladesh, where he scored just 22 runs off 38 balls. However, ex-Indian cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar feels that Kohli arriving early for practice might be a sign that he is putting too much pressure on himself.

"I think he is trying too hard. Coming 90 minutes earlier to practice is a sign. He can come two minutes before the match and get going. I think he is trying a bit too much," Manjrekar told broadcaster Star Sports.

Clarke supported Kohli, saying it's never a good idea to count him out. He predicted that Kohli could turn things around instantly when it matters most against Pakistan.

"I think Virat is one of those players who thrives in big tournaments. He hasn't been in the best of form, which is why he's training an hour and a half earlier. That's what great players do-when something doesn't feel right, they make time to correct it before stepping onto the field," Clarke told Star Sports.

"What I like about the Champions Trophy is that there's no time to ease into the tournament-you have to be at your best straight away. Virat is such a great player that he might just flick that switch. You might have watched him the other day and thought he wasn't at his best, but he steps up when India need him most. Don't be surprised if it happens against Pakistan on the big day," he added.

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