'How can he hit me on head? Itna maarunga na...': Virat Kohli goes unfiltered on heated Mitchell Johnson battle in 2014

Virat Kohli (L) looks at Mitchell Johnson during the first Test of the series in 2014

Former Indian captain Virat Kohli has left an indelible mark on cricket with exceptional batting prowess throughout his career. Throughout his illustrious cricketing journey, Kohli has delivered numerous memorable performances, with his breakout display during India’s tour of Australia standing out prominently. Despite India’s series loss (2-0), Kohli’s remarkable batting form was a highlight, as he amassed an incredible four centuries across four Test matches.

A recent viral video featuring Kohli has reignited interest in his stellar performance against Australia. In the video, Kohli recounts a memorable anecdote from the series, recalling an instance where he dominated Australian bowler Mitchell Johnson, showcasing his ability to take on top-class bowling attacks and emerge triumphant.

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Kohli was hit on the head by a delivery from Johnson during the first Test of the series; incidentally, it was the first ball that Kohli faced in that series, too. The 35-year-old recalled the moment as he talked about it in detail, revealing how it pumped him further to take on Australia’s then-leading pacer.

“First Test, first ball of the tour. He hit me on the head. And I was in disbelief. I had been visualising how I would play in this series for the past 60 days. And suddenly, there was a complete change of plans. It was a heavy blow. My vision started dropping, I had swelling. There were 2 deliveries remaining before lunch, that I played,” Kohli recalled as he spoke at an event.

“Now… these are the things you feel grateful for. There were two options: fight or flight. Naturally, my reaction was like, ‘isne mere ko maari kaise sar pe ball (How could he hit me on the head?). I was like, ‘main isko itna maarunga iss series me (I will hit him so hard throughout this series). That’s exactly what I did,” Kohli narrated, leading to massive cheers from the crowd.

Kohli did stay true to his resolve; in fact, Kohli, who was also the captain of the side in the first Test in the absence of then-skipper MS Dhoni, smashed centuries across both innings (115 & 141). However, India faced a narrow 48-run loss in the game.

Kohli wrapped the series as India’s top run-getter, with 692 runs to his name across eight innings. His average was a staggering 86.50, as he notched up four centuries and a fifty.

Kohli currently with RCB camp

Virat Kohli is currently taking part in the 2024 Indian Premier League, where he holds the Orange Cap with 316 runs in six matches so far. However, his side, RCB, has struggled to perform, winning only one game this year. RCB are at the bottom of the points table.

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