Want to make my team win at any cost, even if I am gasping for breathe when I walk off the field: Virat Kohli

Former India captain Virat Kohli has said he wants to make his team win at any cost even if it means he has to walk off the ground gasping for breath. A livewire on the pitch, Kohli never shies away from taking the attack to the opposition and his aggressive approach has often worked wonders for the batting maestro.

He has not enjoyed the best of form lately and has been struggling for consistency amid intense criticism from all corners. Kohli will be making his comeback for India in the upcoming Asia Cup 2022 after a short hiatus from cricket as he looks to bounce back and bring an end to his lean patch with the willow.

In an interaction with BCCI, Kohli opened up on self-introspection after taking a break from cricket and said his love for the game is what helps him maintain his intensity on the field. India's opener against Pakistan in Asia Cup 2022 will mark Kohli's 100th T20I for the Men in Blue.

"I'm a person who wakes up and feels okay, let's see what the day has for me and be part of everything that I'm doing through the day with absolute presence and involvement and happiness. That's how it has always been," Kohli said in a video shared by BCCI.

"People ask me a lot - 'how do you do this on the field and carry on with so much intensity?' I just tell them that I love playing the game , I love the fact that I have so much to contribute every ball and I give every inch of my energy in the field," he explained.

Kohli said making his team win in every game remains his sole motivation and he likes to give his all every time he takes the field, even if it means he has to come out gasping for breath. The former India captain has not made impactful contributions with the bat for a while now but is ready to push himself in the upcoming Asia Cup 2022.

"For me, it never felt abnormal. People within the team ask me 'how do you keep up with it?' and I just say one simple thing that I want to make my team win at any cost and if that means I am gasping for breathe when I walk off the field so be it because that's the kind of preparation I go through to be able to play like that," said Kohli.

"So, that was not happening naturally and I had to push myself but I just didn't know it," he went on.

Kohli's last appearance for the Indian team came during their tour of England earlier this year where he found it tough to get going against the hosts across all three formats. The senior batter only managed 76 runs across one Test, two ODIs and two T20Isin what was a disappointing tour for the former India captain.