• Source:JND
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Virat Kohli continued his stellar form thorughout the 2023 after returning to the game in 2022 following a brief mental health break. Kohli peaked at the right of the year in the home ODI World Cup and ended with 2048 runs in 35 international innings at an average of 66.06 with eight centuries and 10 half centuries.

He scored 765 runs in World Cup including three centuries and surpassed legendary Sachin Tendulakr's long-standing record of most runs in the single edition of the quadrennial tournament. He also bagged the Player Of the Tournament title as India lost to Australia by six wickets in the summit clash at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. 

On his stellar performance throughout the year, former England captain Nasser Hussain said 2023 was the fantastic year for the batter just not with the bat but also in mental space.

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“He had a fantastic 2023 and he had a fantastic World Cup. (For) all the records that he broke and the attention he got, actually what we didn't focus on was how well he was batting technically,” ICC quoted Hussain as saying.

“I have not seen Virat bat as well as that. The sound off the bat. In the innings in Mumbai against Sri Lanka, I can name about five innings, but he was getting in such good positions. So that is a really good sign for Kohli and India and Virat Kohli fans because I think that means he is in a good mental space and his game is in order,” he added.

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After opting out of the home T20Is against Australia and white-ball tour of South Afrcia, Kohli is part of the two-match Test series in South Africa. He carried his spectacular ODI form in the red-ball cricket as he contributed the most by Indian batter in the first Test against South Africa in Centurion.

India had a poor outing with the bat as they lost the match by an innings and 32 runs. Former skipper played knocks of 38 and 76 respectively as India got folded for 131 in the second innings and suffered a massive blow in the series opener.

The second and last Test beteween India and South Africa will be played at Newlands, Cape Town on Wednesday, January 3.