Virat Kohli, who is enduring a century drought, will be in action when India take on Pakistan in their Asia Cup 2022 opener on Sunday at the Dubai International Stadium. The star batter, ahead of the crucial tie, opened up about his ‘never give up’ attitude and preparations. 

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Kohli, in a video posted by the BCCI on social media, said that he wants to make the team win at any cost even if it means he is gasping for breathe when he walks off the field. The 33-year-old has not scored a century since 2019. He has had a wretched run in T20Is in 2022. In four games, he has scored 81 runs at an average of 20.25. His 52 score this year is his best in the format.

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The match against Pakistan will be Kohli’s 100th T20I. On the eve of the clash, he said,”I’m a person who wakes up and feels okay, let’s see what the day has for me and be part of everything that I’m doing through the day with absolute presence and involvement and happiness. That’s how it has always been.”

He further stressed on his love for the game and how he wants to contribute every ball.   

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“People ask me a lot – ‘how do you do this on the field and carry on with so much intensity?’ I just tell them that I love playing the game , I love the fact that I have so much to contribute every ball and I give every inch of my energy in the field.”

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“For me, it never felt abnormal. People within the team ask me ‘how do you keep up with it?’ and I just say one simple thing that I want to make my team win at any cost and if that means I am gasping for breathe when I walk off the field so be it because that’s the kind of preparation I go through to be able to play like that. So, that was not happening naturally and I had to push myself but I just didn’t know it,” he said.