Virat Kohli thanked his Bollywood actress wife Anushka Sharma after scoring his maidan T20I century for India during their Asia Cup 2022 Super 4 match in Dubai on Thursday.
With this ton, Kohli broke a three-year century drought in international cricket.
Speaking after India's innings, a relived Kohli said: "I dedicate this to Anushka and [daughter] Vamika as well. I know there was lot of stuff going on on the outside but they really kept my perspective right. I kissed my ring in the celebrations as well, you see me standing like this right now and all the things being put in perspective has been done by one person, who stood by me through all these difficult times that is Anushka. When you have someone next to you, having conversations, putting the things in right perspective like I have been and Anushka has been by my side through these times."
Kolhi reckoned the six-week break from cricket did a world of good to him.
"The time away from the game has thought me a lot of things. When I came back I wasn't desperate, I was grateful for what God blessed me before, people were talking about me not getting a hundred but I looked at how much he has given me already. That really calmed me down and relaxed me. I was just happy to come back, six weeks off, I was refreshed. I understood how tired I was mentally and physically. Your competitiveness does not allow you to take that call and I wanted to be the best of version of myself for the team. When I came here, when I started playing in the nets, I felt like my old rhythm was coming back and it was about getting those performances in the middle."
Kohli's unbeaten effort off 61 balls got him his first hundred since November 2019 and 71st overall, equalling Ricky Ponting's tally of international hundreds.
The former India captain is now only behind Sachin Tendulkar in the all-time list. With Rohit Sharma being rested for India's final game of the tournament, stand-in skipper K L Rahul (62 off 41) and Kohli shared an entertaining 119 off 76 balls for the opening wicket.
