LUCKNOW: The Awadh province is an important piece of India that's locked away in the history books. Capital for arts and culture, the region has a pride of place for varying reasons. There was a serious uprising against the British after it was annexed in the 1850s.
In 1925, the Kakori train robbery was one of the most successful standalone acts of rebellion against the Empire.
The city is also known for its rich architecture (the Bara Imambara) and food (tunde ke kabab) among other things. Then, there were the Nawabs, the rulers of the region. That's why Lucknow was given the moniker of 'City of Nawabs'.
On Sunday, 11 Indian men will continue their quest to become kings in a place that's been hosting royalty for the last three centuries. Speaking of royalty, Virat Kohli, who has rediscovered his love for monstering chases, has another chance to equal one of ODIs grand milestones. 49 tons. Before the pandemic began, it was assumed to be a matter of time. When it was raging, Kohli's graph took a downturn.
Over the last 12 months though, the No. 3 has become the apex predator again. There is a very specific way with which the 34-year-old goes about proceedings when going after a target. He's not the heavy-metal batter who wants to set his terms straightaway (Rohit Sharma is the one with that role). Kohli likes to take his time before imposing himself on the opposition these days.
He's somebody whose preferred mode is to asphyxiate bowlers before going through the gears when the end is sight. Slow death as opposed to an ambush. He's always been blessed with that innate ability to play according to the situation and he's doing that again.
He has passed 50 four times in five World Cup games and there is enough evidence to suggest this is why he has always been in control of the situation. Against Australia, he walked into bat in the first over and consumed 116 balls for his 85. The one thing he told KL Rahul was to play the early phase of that innings like a Test match. He practiced what he preached; he was on 23 after 49 balls. With a small target to chase, he knew he could play this way.
On a better batting strip against Afghanistan in New Delhi, he focused on milking the bowling and giving the strike back to Rohit Sharma who was batting on 102 when he walked in.
He was given a free hand at dictating the tempo in the third game against Bangladesh because he was welcomed with multiple free-hits. Even then, after scoring at a strike rate of 190 in his first 10 deliveries, he soon settled into a familiar rhythm of ones and twos in the middle overs. With no great scoreboard pressure, he knew he could do this. It's why each of India's first five games has been without any jeopardy.
Sharma has broken the chase early doors before Kohli's slow death in the company of Shreyas Iyer and/or KL Rahul. "The pitch was good, (it) allowed me to play my game," he had said after his 48th ODI 100 against Bangladesh. "Hit the gaps and find the boundaries whenever I could."
While some of the truly epic Kohli chases (think Sri Lanka against Hobart) have been violent, this is how he has elevated his white-ball craft into an art form. Ones and twos like they are on tap and boundaries on demand.
Here's some numbers from the ongoing World Cup to further illustrate this point. He may be the fourth highest run-scorer (354) but in terms of fours, he's only joint-eighth (29). For sixes, he's joint-18th.
Where he makes up are in the singles (164; 31 better than Mohammed Rizwan in second) and twos (19; fourth-best). It's the bellwether in his batting arsenal.
Sure, his cover-drives may inspire next generation poets but it's the simple things in his armoury that has kept him relevant for the TikTokers and the Insta reelers as well as the purists.
But there was a phase when it refused to. From early 2022 to the end of the Australia series in March 2023, he had compiled 235 runs in 10 innings at an average of 23.5 while chasing a total. It involved a run of 8, 16, 17, 5, 11 and 4 (he had made scores of 113, 113 and an unbeaten 166 while batting first in the middle of this run so it wasn't that he was out of form which in itself is an abstract term). It was also around the time when he bared his soul in an emotional interview.
"I came to the realisation that I was trying to fake my intensity a bit recently," he had said. "I was convincing myself that 'no, you had the intensity'. But your body is telling you to stop. Your mind is telling me to take a break and step back.
"I'm looked at as a guy who has been 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 actually taught me a lot of things that I wasn't allowing it to come to surface. When they eventually came up, I embraced it. I was experiencing that I'm not excited to train, I wasn't excited to practice, and that really disturbed me because this is not who I am, and I literally needed to step away from that environment."
At this World Cup, Kohli has retained the intensity but with child-like enthusiasm for the small things. Chasing milestones for all those misses during the pandemic. Haring those ones and twos. Laughing with the team during the must-not-miss post-match medal presentation for best fielder.
Come Sunday, he will get another crack at ODI century No. 49. Don't be surprised if he does get it. For this city — this region — has witnessed coronations for the majority of its existence.