In the autumn of his splendid career, before the inevitable cold dread of winter sets in, Virat Kohli has found a new meter in his batting. The high octave of the six, a stroke that he once employed as a means to an end, but now unfurled as an act of pure expression.

He has struck sixes before – 715 across formats. But never at the frenetic frequency he is hitting them now. Since South Africa’s visit to India at the end of last year, he has struck one every 153rd ball (153.5 to be exact). Since then, in 13 games, every 25th ball has travelled beyond the ropes. The interval matters, because it is Kohli, inarguably the greatest to have played this format. It also matters, because there is no more fascinating sportsperson than one that is not only redefining, but reinterpreting himself.

He has struck sixes before, too. But seldom with this spontaneous joy. Six was not a fetish; the four was his weapon of destruction.…