Displaying humility, Virat Kohli refrained from taking credit for India’s four-wicket victory over Australia in the Champions Trophy 2025 semifinal. Instead, he highlighted three match-winners—Hardik Pandya, KL Rahul, and Shreyas Iyer—whose performances played a crucial role in securing the team’s place in the final.
Despite delivering a match-winning knock himself in Dubai, Kohli emphasized the collective effort that led to India’s successful chase of 265 runs. Recognizing the significance of each contribution, he commended his teammates for stepping up at critical moments.
“As a team, you feel really great when people keep stepping up through an innings. When it’s a team victory, it feels amazing. Hardik (Pandya) hit those two crucial shots at a nervous point for us,” Kohli stated in an interview with BCCI.
He further praised KL Rahul for finishing the game and Shreyas Iyer for his crucial partnership. “KL (Rahul) batted outstandingly to close the game off. Shreyas (Iyer) had a great partnership with me. For us, it’s the all-round effort that counts. People are in a great space and then you qualify for the final. You’ve a couple of days off, everything to look forward to,” Kohli added.
The star batter also reflected on his hunger for runs and shared insights into his preparation for high-pressure matches like the semifinal against Australia.