Watch: Virat Kohli comments on Test return; check his comments as Harsha Bhogle teases about it after IND vs SA 1st ODI

Virat Kohli won the Player of the Match award for a superb century that demonstrated he is still in peak form. He said he simply enjoyed his cricket and took a rest day before the game.

“I have never been a big believer in doing a lot of preparation. For me, the game has always been more mental than anything else. I work physically hard on a daily basis because that is the way I live. It’s not something I do specifically for cricket,” Virat Kohli said.

“Being mentally sharp is what matters most to him. Whenever I arrive somewhere, I make sure I arrive at 120%. I wanted to get a proper feel of the conditions, so I practised twice in the day and once under lights,” he added.

“I took a day off before the game. I’m 37. I need to take care of my recovery,” he said.

It seems like Harsha Bhogle had to ask Kohli about his potential Test return. Social media has been abuzz about his comeback after India’s disastrous Test series against South Africa.

“You're now playing only one form of the game. Oh, by the way, is that how it's always going to be?” asked a curious Harsha Bhogle.

Kohli smiled and said, ‘Yes, that's how it's always going to be.'

Both Kohli and Rohit Sharma received awards for their strong performances today. Their 136-run stand gave India the platform they needed in a high-pressure match. The senior pair showed the younger ones how to rebuild an innings and control a tough situation.

Virat Kohli's Test return

There has been a lot of noise on a Virat Kohli Test comeback. After India’s recent Test collapses, former players like Shreevats Goswami, Madan Lal and Michael Clarke said India should consider bringing Kohli, and even Rohit Sharma, back to the red-ball format.

"If India go to England and get flogged, if they lose the series 5-0, for example, I think the fans will want Virat Kohli to come out of retirement and play Test cricket again," Clarke said.

"And I honestly, I think if he was asked by the captain, selectors and supported by fans, if they get beaten big time in England, I think he'll come. He still loves Test cricket," the World Cup-winning Australia captain said.

This sparked a wave of TV debates, YouTube discussions and social media claims that the BCCI was “thinking about” asking Kohli to reverse his Test retirement.

In response, BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia clarified that all such talk is “purely speculative”. No conversation with Kohli has taken place, he said.