We should be good enough to win on any surface and against any team: Virat Kohli

Feb 9, 2019 at 12:14 PM

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We should be good enough to win on any surface and against any team: Virat Kohli

Just a week ago, Indian Test captain said that his team wanted to win every single game after he led India to number one ranking in Test cricket following the win in the second Test against New Zealand. Well, after the conclusion of the three-match Test in which the hosts blanked the Kiwis 3-0, it is safe to say that the team is hell-bent to prove their captain right. Throughout the series, the team excelled as a unit and the Indian captain made it sure to point it out while interacting with the media after winning the final Test by 321 runs. He spoke on various topics during the interaction.

Excerpts:

On his controlled celebrations after scoring the century

Everybody is determined and focused to perform for the team, whenever they go out to bat. I have scored hundreds in the past but not big ones. I have always been disappointed with myself that I don’t convert them (into big ones). Maybe I get satisfied at reaching a milestone. I convince myself now to not think of milestones. The crowds will be excited, the teammates will appreciate it, but you should reinforce that mindset to convert it into a big one. So I tried to react just enough to let everybody know I appreciate their support, but not react as if I have achieved all I wanted to achieve. I wanted to go long. You have to come with that focus into every innings, that if you are set you have to play long.

On whether four people beat New Zealand:

No, I don’t believe that. It is a team sport, and it is played like a team sport. Those who write, praise or criticise, performances stand out only for them. In the team we know, for example, if a fast bowler runs in hard for four overs and gets only two wickets, that means a lot in a Test match. For me, the most important points in this series were (Ravindra) Jadeja’s batting in the first Test, (Wriddhiman) Saha’s batting and (Mohammed) Shami’s spell in the second Test. They matter a lot to the team. Obviously, you feel good about big individual contributions, but we focus more on little contributions. Because the big ones will be talked of anyway.

On New Zealand’s performance:

For a side coming in, this is not an easy place to play. We understand that. Especially if the home team is playing, you know, its best cricket. As a unit, it is very difficult to find areas to exploit and get back into the game. We try to make it as tough as possible for the opposition. As I said, they are a quality side. They have quality cricketers. You can tell when they bowl, when they bat. The way they go about their cricket is very good. As Kane (Williamson) said, there is a lot for them to learn from this series, (just) as we had in the past when we played in New Zealand and places away from home. We always take learnings. You obviously want to go and win away. Honestly, they played really good cricket. To be 3-0 down in the series, it is just that we pressed them hard every time we got an opportunity. Every time we were put under pressure, we have bounced back really well. They have put us under pressure, but I think we have been better in the series to come back from those situations and totally block that door for them every time they tried to sneak in.

On who gets the credit for the win:

Credit goes to everyone. The 11 players who play, the support staff, everyone. I wouldn’t like to sit here and point out because the people who perform will be written about. But we know that if the entire team doesn’t put in the effort, one or two players can’t win matches.

On how does he handle his huge popularity:

I just feel grateful. I’m just a human being like anyone else. But maybe people connect to me in a different way which I feel very blessed about. There’s nothing that I need to feel over confident or arrogant about. I try to wave to as many people as I can from the bus. If that makes people happy and their morning happy, I like those things. I wouldn’t have imagined that I would be in a position where I can influence people with small things. I take it as a blessing, not pressure. I like those things. People who genuinely appreciate or cheer will help increase your confidence. I want to make them happy in some way or the other.

On Mohammed Shami:

Within the team he is very… he’s a character in the changing room. On the field you won’t see him come out in the open and express himself too much. But he’s someone everyone loves in the team and everyone gets along with. As you said, he’s someone that whatever might be happening with him, you won’t know. I had no clue that his daughter was in the hospital – he told us later. So he’s a guy who will come on to the field and give everything he has. Just needs a bit of motivation every now and then, which every fast bowler does in conditions that we have. But skill wise, there is no doubt he is a top bowler. He has a knack of picking up wickets. Even on this wicket he created quite a few chances. So does Umesh (Yadav), but Shami is just like any other normal guy of his age, just that he’s not very expressive on the field but he’s a very likeable character in the changing room among the team members.

On different types of pitches being presented in the series:

We knew before the series that people are going to start talking about pitches. But we made it a point that we knew that there are monsoons everywhere, wickets are not going to be as dry. Especially in Kolkata, we knew that it wouldn’t be dry, it was a newly laid wicket. We didn’t say anything once. We believe in our abilities, we should be good enough to do it on any surface and against any team. That is a step in the right direction as far our team is concerned. We believe in our skill much more, and not focus on creating atmosphere or conditions which might suit us partially. We just wanted to express ourselves the way we can on a cricket field. We finished two games in four days on perfectly fine Test cricket pitches. That gives us a lot of confidence.

On Harbhajan Singh’s tweet and comments:

Even if it is a turning pitch, you have to bowl well. Spin doesn’t happen only off the pitch. Spin is about how many revs you throw off the shoulder first and then the ball will do something off the pitch. I quite clearly remember in the World Cup (WT20) after we lost to New Zealand, suddenly their spinners were quality (bowlers) and we were found out. I don’t see anybody talking about it now. The same spinners have played and why they have not been able to pick wickets? It is as simple as that. Our fast bowlers picked wickets everywhere, nobody complained about it. You can give a guy a cement track to bat on, but he should have the mindset to bat on it and it is as simple as that.

 

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