IND vs NZ, 1st ODI: Kohli walks the talk, says Shreyas Iyer

India vice-captain Shreyas Iyer lavished praise on Virat Kohli, saying the batting great has been “walking the talk” for years, the latest being his masterclass in a successful run chase against New Zealand in the ODI series opener.

Kohli struck a fluent 93 off 91 balls as India chased down a target of 301 to register a four-wicket win and take a 1-0 lead in the three-match rubber in Vadodara on Sunday.

During the innings, Kohli also became the fastest player to reach 28,000 international runs across formats and the second-highest run-scorer in international cricket, behind Sachin Tendulkar.

“Whatever we talk about his innings, it would be less. We have been seeing it for so many years now he’s been doing it consistently. The way he rotates the strike and he takes on the bowlers, he basically walks the talk,” Iyer said in a video posted by the BCCI.

Iyer, who returned to international action after a long injury layoff following a spleen laceration with internal bleeding sustained during the third ODI against Australia in Sydney in October last year, said he was delighted to begin the series on a winning note.

“Great start to the series. Coming back after a while into the team, it feels great to be a part of this squad. More than that, it was a great feeling to share the dressing room with each and every one. I was missing it for quite a while, but I am happy to be back,” Iyer said.

Published on Jan 12, 2026