India superstar Virat Kohli said he has always liked the ICC Champions Trophy because of the urgency teams have to start the tournament on a high in order to qualify for the next round.

"The tournament is happening after a long time. I have always liked this tournament. It represents consistency as you have to be in the top 8 of the rankings (to qualify). The level of competition is always good," Kohli said yesterday.

"In ODI format, it creates the pressure of a T20 World Cup. There also you have three or four games in the league stage. If you don't start well, you are under pressure. The pressure is from the first game itself and that is why I like it, you have to be at your best from game one."

Kohli has played three editions of the tournament (2009, 2013, 2017) and is set to start his fourth when India take on Bangladesh at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium today. He won the 2013 edition and will be aiming to have a tournament to remember, especially because of the speculations over his retirement.

The 36-year-old has been mired in long lean patches in Tests and have already retired from T20 cricket following last year's World Cup triumph.

In his last 22 Test knocks since the start of January 2024, Kohli has managed to hit just a solitary ton and a single fifty. In the five ODIs he has played since the 2023 World Cup, he has managed to score one half-century.

Despite intense conjecture about his future, India head coach Gautam Gambhir said the stalwart will have a "massive role" to play at the Champions Trophy.