Virat Kohli walked out to a roaring reception at Lord's on Sunday, determined to make amends after a promising but unfinished knock in Cardiff. And for large parts of India's chase against England in the third ODI, it looked like he might just pull off something special.

Coming in early after Shubman Gill's dismissal, Kohli looked in sublime touch from the very first ball. He combined fluency with aggression, rotating strike cleverly with captain Rohit Sharma before opening his shoulders against England's pace attack. The crowd at the Home of Cricket rose to their feet as he raced to his half-century off just 42 balls, sprinkling his innings with elegant drives and trademark wrists flicks.

Kohli then joined forces with Shreyas Iyer to keep India's hopes alive in a steep run-chase. The duo added 78 runs for the third wicket, with Kohli playing the anchor role while also finding the boundary at regular intervals. He brought up his 74th international half-century and looked poised to convert it into a big score, perhaps even his 86th international hundred.

But just when India needed him to accelerate further, Kohli fell for a quickfire 74 off 60 deliveries, caught while attempting to up the ante against England's bowling attack. His dismissal triggered a middle-order wobble, and despite late fireworks, India fell short of England's imposing total.

It was a bittersweet return for the batting superstar. Kohli had missed India's recent series against Afghanistan after suffering a right hamstring injury during the IPL final, an unfortunate setback that came on the back of sensational form. In the IPL, he had smashed six half-centuries in his final seven innings, accumulating 675 runs from 16 matches with an aura that reminded everyone of his vintage best.

In the second ODI at Cardiff, Kohli had walked in early after Gill's departure and looked fluent before being dismissed for 65 off 66 balls, just 35 runs shy of what would have been his 86th international century. The milestone remained elusive, but his hunger was unmistakable.

At Lord's, he went even harder. His 74 came at a strike rate of over 120, and for a while, he made a daunting target look chaseable. But England's disciplined bowling and timely wickets ensured Kohli's brilliance would only be a footnote in their victory.

With Sachin Tendulkar's legendary tally of 100 international centuries still firmly in his sights, Kohli's appetite for runs remains undiminished. He has started the series with purpose, and as India head toward the final stages of this contest, fans will be hoping the master batsman saves his best for when it matters most.