CHENNAI: It had been 1021 days since the world witnessed it. Virat Kohli, removing his helmet and raising his bat to celebrate a century. Such has been the frequency of the sight in the years before (70 times) that it became a norm. Every time he walked out bat since, there was always a sense of could this be the day, particularly in Tests and ODIs.
As months and years passed, the questions became much bigger than just the No. 71 that there were questions about his place, especially in the shortest format. Whether he can find another version to have a purple patch of sorts late into his career. He took a break and spoke about his mental health struggles before coming back for the Asia Cup. Even when he addressed the press, the uptightness of the past wasn't there. He was taking questions voluntarily and speaking his mind. Kohli did seem like a refreshingly different person.
On the field, he did score runs. Yet, there was no certain answer whether he was truly back in form. For there were patches of struggles that showed the pattern that had developed. He seemed to be buying into the template, trying to adapt, but the yesteryear fluency wasn't there. Until Thursday.
Having been made to open in Rohit Sharma's absence, Kohli was in his element against Afghanistan in Dubai. While he had his share of nervy moments, it all seemed clear when he took on Mujeeb Ur Rahman. There was an off-drive, a sweep — yes, you read that right — and a loft down the ground as he hit the spinner for 15 runs in an over. At that time, it felt like he was just following the attacking approach the team has taken. Especially, when he tried to hoick Mohammad Nabi and was dropped on the ropes.
Even as the innings progressed, there was little to think about the No 71. However, it was one of those days to savour as Kohli finally seemed to have found his fluency back. How could one tell? There was a slice through point of a yorker with some late adjustment, a flick behind square with a walk down the pitch, the bottom-hand-whip between long-on and midwicket and a table-tennis like straight bat swat over long-on. It was the Kohli of 2016s. It seemed like he had rolled back time.
But just as he entered the 80s, the tension started to build. Kohli didn't seem worried at all. For he was batting in the death overs, where he is often the most destructive. He just kept going after the bowlers and brought the hundred with a flat pull over midwicket for a six. The wait was finally over.
For over 1021 days, every time he came closer to the milestone and faltered, there was a sense of anticipation as to how he would celebrate when the moment eventually arrived. He just removed his helmet, raised his bat and smiled. Not the leap in the air of the late 2010s, no swear words as the early 100s of his career. Just a smile of ecstasy. And RELIEF.
After the innings, Kohli said that the angry celebrations were of the past. "Last two and a half years have taught me a lot. I am going to turn 34 in a month. Actually I was shocked. This is the last format I thought. It was an accumulation of a lot of things. The team has been open and helpful. I know there was a lot of stuff going outside."
"And I kissed my ring. You see me standing here because one person has put things in perspective for me. That's Anushka (Sharma, his wife). This hundred is for her and for our little daughter Vamika as well. When you have someone next to you having conversations putting things in perspective, like Anushka has been... When I came back I was not desperate. Six weeks off, I was refreshed. I realised how tired I was. Competitiveness doesn't allow it, but this break allowed me to enjoy the game again," he added.
He went on to smash a few more boundaries, finishing with an unbeaten 122 runs in 61 balls — the highest by an Indian in T20Is. Sure, other things happened around him as well. KL Rahul made a fifty, India scored 212/2. They went on to beat Afghanistan by 101 runs, with Bhuvneshwar Kumar taking five wickets for just four runs.
But on Thursday, in a contest that had very little expectations, against what was probably the toughest match-up for him, off all the things that could have happened, Kohli's 71st international century was probably the least expected outcome.
And yet, the 33-year-old did exactly that, admittedly to his own surprise. Perhaps, he did even more — sowing the seeds for his second-coming in what has already been an incredible career.