Having won the second-most Player of the Match (POTM) Awards as an Indian cricketer in One Day Internationals (ODIs), Virat Kohli’s humble nature was evident during the post-match presentation.
A match-winning 93-run knock anchored India’s run chase to accomplish the 301 target against New Zealand.
Following a 4-wicket victory in the series opener, Kohli was honored with the Player of the Match Award. The Indian ace batter himself revealed that he doesn’t keep his trophies with him.
With no personal trophy at his residence, let’s find out the exact location where Virat’s silverware cabinet is overflowing with numbers.
‘My Mom Likes to Keep Them’: Virat Kohli
The post-match conversation of the India vs New Zealand 1st ODI in Vadodara saw a humorous confession from Virat Kohli, revealing that his individual honors are sent to his mother’s home in Gurgaon.
“No! I don’t keep the trophies. In reality, I send those trophies to my mom, and she likes to cherish them. Looking back throughout my journey, there is nothing greater than a dream come true moment for me.
Most often, I trusted my abilities. All I did was work hard to reach where I am today. God has blessed me with more than I expected. I really feel extremely proud of my progress with a lot of praise and thankfulness,” Kohli said.
Does Virat Kohli Know How Many POTM Awards He Achieved?
Apart from an exceptional batting performance, Virat Kohli’s post-match comments won millions of hearts, admitting the fact that he never had a count of his Player of the Match awards. Here is what the veteran Indian batter said:
“Not Sure! Honestly speaking, I don’t have a proper count of how many I have as of now”, Kohli said with a cheeky smile.
The star Indian batter’s comments outline his down-to-earth attitude, even after continuing to achieve remarkable success in his career.
With 71 awards across all three formats of international cricket, Kohli now stands second in the list after Sachin Tendulkar (76 awards) to achieve this feat. It includes 45 accolades in ODIs, 16 in T20Is, and 10 in Tests.
| S.No | Player | Nation | Total POTM (All Formats) | ODIs | T20Is | Tests |
| 1. | Sachin Tendulkar | India | 76 | 62 | 0 | 14 |
| 2. | Virat Kohli | India | 71 | 45 | 16 | 10 |
| 3. | Sanath Jayasuriya | Sri Lanka | 58 | 48 | 6 | 4 |
| 4. | Jacques Kallis | South Africa | 57 | 32 | 2 | 23 |
| 5. | Kumar Sangakkara | Sri Lanka | 50 | 31 | 3 | 16 |
Most Player of the Match Awards in ODIs: Kohli’s Rankings in the List
After Sachin Tendulkar and Sanath Jayasuriya, Virat Kohli ranks third on the list at the international level to achieve the most Player of the Match awards in ODIs.
| S.No | Player | Nation | POTM Awards in ODIs |
| 1. | Sachin Tendulkar | India | 62 |
| 2. | Sanath Jayasuriya | Sri Lanka | 48 |
| 3. | Virat Kohli | India | 45 |
| 4. | Jacques Kallis | South Africa | 32 |
| 5. | Ricky Ponting | Australia | 32 |
No Regret For Kohli to Miss His 54th ODI Century
Virat Kohli was further asked if he regretted missing out on his 54th ODI ton. However, the experienced batter clarified that he would play according to the match’s situation rather than focusing on his personal milestones:
“Not at all! To be honest, the way I am currently batting, I’m not thinking much about my milestones. Suppose we batted first, then I could have possibly tried harder.
But, when it comes to run chase and with a particular target on the board, you should play according to the situation.
Scoring runs through more boundaries was important. At the same time, experience also plays a pivotal role.
At that moment, I was focused only on steering my team to a safe position and securing a comfortable win. Basically, when I bat at No.3, the situation is tricky. But, I had to back myself to have a counterattacking approach rather than waiting for the opportunity. I believe there is no point in being so possessive,” Kohli said.
Virat Kohli’s ODI Masterclass Against New Zealand in the 1st ODI
Despite falling 7 runs short of achieving another sensational century, Virat Kohli’s 93-run knock off 91 balls (including 8 fours and 1 six) laid the foundation for a strong run chase.
New Zealand bowlers pressurized the ace batter to a great extent following Rohit Sharma’s early dismissal. But Virat was cautious with his shot selection and once again exhibited his mix of composure and aggression, reconfirming his worth as the world’s best chasing batter of modern cricket.
Kohli’s record in 300-plus run chases for India has been truly exceptional, having amassed 1,091 runs off 871 balls in 12 innings. Having batted at a strike rate of 125.25, the right-handed batter averaged 121.22, including 7 hundreds and 2 fifties to his name.
