Kohli dedicates his match-winning fifty to Tendulkar

Kolkata, March 20: Man of the match Virat Kohli dedicated his half-century against Pakistan to his batting idol Sachin Tendulkar, who was at Eden Gardens to witness the game.

"I started playing cricket watching him. So do it infront of 67,000 people with him celebrating, it was a great feeling," Kohli said at the post-match presentation ceremony. He said that he relishes the challenge of getting his team out of trouble on a "challenging pitch".

Great Win Team India. Thank you for the innings and gesture @imVkohli! #IndvsPak (1/2)

— sachin tendulkar (@sachin_rt) March 19, 2016
Thank you for the positive energy & wishes. To do it in front of my idol @sachin_rt feels surreal. #Grateful pic.twitter.com/YaOMT4T6oD

— Virat Kohli (@imVkohli) March 20, 2016

Team India returning to the dressing room after the game, waved to me. Felt like I never left the team...#IndvsPak (2/2)

— sachin tendulkar (@sachin_rt) March 19, 2016
Next: Kohli on the importance of Yuvraj Singh

"It was a challenging wicket, that's what you want as a cricketer - new challenges to play. Last game, I was very disappointed to have got out, that really hurt. Even the 49 against Pakistan in Dhaka was really satisfying, that's what you need, a tough pitch, a good bowling attack and you pulling your team out of trouble," Kohli said.

He was all praise for Yuvraj Singh, with whom he put on a 61-run stand. "Yuvraj weathered the storm and then smacked a few. That's Yuvi's style. I think these performances are good for him as well, he's in good nick."

Kohli admitted that he did not know that wicket would offer so much turn till Ashwin started bowling. "I didn't look at wicket till Ashwin started bowling. The way the ball spun, I thought it was going to grip. Even the 'cutters' bowled by fast bowlers was gripping. So I told our batting coach (Sanjay Bangar) that since the ball was popping up, I would stand inside the crease and open the bat face rather than hit cover drive," said Kohli.