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Virat Kohli once again proved why he is India’s biggest match-winner in knockout games, delivering a Player of the Match performance against Australia in the Champions Trophy 2025 semi-final. His composed 84 off 98 balls anchored India’s chase, helping the Men in Blue qualify for their third consecutive Champions Trophy final.
Unlike his usual aggressive approach, Kohli built his innings on smart strike rotation and running between the wickets, hitting just five boundaries in his knock.
Kohli Creates History: India’s Highest Run-Scorer in Champions Trophy
With this innings, Kohli shattered a major record to become India’s highest run-scorer in Champions Trophy history.
Most Runs for India in Champions Trophy History:
Virat Kohli – 746 runs (New Record)
Shikhar Dhawan – 701 runs
Sourav Ganguly – 665 runs
Shikhar Dhawan, who played in two editions of the tournament, made his mark in 2013 with match-winning performances, while Ganguly was one of India's most consistent performers in past editions.
India will now play the Champions Trophy final on March 9 in Dubai, awaiting the winner of South Africa vs. New Zealand.
Kohli on His Knock: "Strike Rotation Was the Key"
After the match, Kohli spoke about his approach, emphasizing how building partnerships was crucial on this pitch.
“It was pretty similar to the other day against Pakistan. For me, it's about understanding the basics and preparing my game accordingly—just rotating strike, because on this pitch, partnerships are the most important thing. My only effort was to string enough partnerships.”
Kohli also revealed his original plan to score 20 more runs before finishing the game quickly, but he was dismissed before executing it.
On what pleased him most about his innings:
"My timing and the composure at the crease. I wasn’t feeling desperate, I was happy knocking ones around. When a batsman starts taking pride in finding singles in the gaps, that’s when you know you’re playing good cricket and are in for a big partnership. That was the most pleasing factor for me, both against Pakistan and today."
One Step Away from Glory
With Kohli in top form, India has once again entered an ICC final and will look to bring home the Champions Trophy on March 9.
Will Kohli lead India to another ICC triumph? The final promises to be a blockbuster clash!
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