Nothing changes in our head when we face Pakistan: Virat Kohli

[MenInG]

Addressing a press conference ahead of the Champions Trophy, Kohli said, "With all due respect, whatever else is going around, as a cricketer, we can't even think of our batting partner when in the middle. So, forget thinking about things which aren't in our control. For us cricketers, it's about playing the game that we love and it never changes. India-Pakistan game is always exciting for the fans. Yes, the atmosphere is different but as cricketers, it's just a game of cricket for us. The hype created around is not in our control. We prepare the same way for every other game. The atmosphere in the stadium is different but in our heads, nothing really changes whether you are playing Australia, England or South Africa."

Kohli called the experienced duo of MS Dhoni and Yuvraj Singh as the team's strongest pillars and expressed happiness over their recent performances in limited-overs cricket.

When questioned how he plans to use the vast experience of Dhoni and Yuvraj in the middle order, Kohli said, "It's not for me to use them. They have so much experience that if we give them the freedom to play their own natural game, being the most experienced in the squad, they know how to build an innings and take match out of difficult situations. They played with freedom in the last series (against England) which was heartening. It helps in boosting the environment. The entire outlook changes. They are strongest pillars of our team."

Asked how he will approach the tournament considering his side are the defending champions, Kohli said, "The first challenge is to not think about that fact that we are defending the title. When we went there the last time (2013), we just wanted to enjoy ourselves as a young unit and then we ended up winning the tournament and creating a team which has done so well so far. There have been few changes made from that team. My mindset is similar, go out and enjoy your game. We have reached the top with that mindset. Ruthlessness is something that we speak about all the time. We go in with that mindset. That will go a long way in such a tournament and will get you results more often than not."

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/...pakistan-virat-kohli/articleshow/58824758.cms

 

[MenInG]

Well he can say what he likes but the game will have a life of its own!

 

[Saj]

Playing it down is Virat.

We all know this is the big one and the one that matters.

 

[Ultimate]

Who cares about the game vs India, huh. It is just another game.

 

[troodon]

Virat calling the crumbling pillars of MSD and UV as the strongest pillars

 

[ahmedwaqas92]

Virat calling the crumbling pillars of MSD and UV as the strongest pillars

What are you even talking about mate ?? Dhoni is a WC winning captain and an ODI ATG who has won every single trophy out there + Yuvi (if my memory serves me right) was the man of the tournament in 2011 WC and a gun All Rounder in his prime..

 

[marlonbrowndo]

Unfortunately, the same is not true for us

 

[TalhaSyed]

Call me crazy but I think there is some amount of truth to what Virat is saying - speciallybin ICC events in the last decade or so.

You can tell that India deal with the "big game" situation a lot better and they do just play it like any other match, which is why every time they come out on top.

Whether you think of the 2007 T20 WC group match, the 2007 T20 WC Final, the 2011 WC semi final etc. - these were all matches that were very close & in my opinion Pakistan lost because they were unable to handle the pressure, meanwhilst India played it just like they would against any other team, did the basics right & cashed in on Pakistans mistake.

If our boys can learn to do the same & cope with the pressure of the "big game", it will definitely know show in their performance on the pitch and also in the result In-Shaa-Allah.

 

[Square Drive]

Time to knock some sense into his head.

 

[ahmedwaqas92]

Ghar Ka Kohli trying to play down the expectations................

Where is Sher Khan when you need him

 

[ExplicitAI]

We really need to suppress our emotions whenever we play against India, if we want to start winning against them then we need to treat them like how we treat other teams. No need for any chest thumping.

 

[Mamoon]

Well he has the license to say these things. He has absolutely manhandled Pakistan every time we have faced him over the last 2-3 years. Let's see if the Law of Averages work against him this time. He is due a failure against Pakistan.

 

[SarfiBabarHaris]

And that is the reason why India win on big stages. They are mentally much stronger than Pak players.

 

[ahmedwaqas92]

Well he has the license to say these things. He has absolutely manhandled Pakistan every time we have faced him over the last 2-3 years. Let's see if the Law of Averages work against him this time. He is due a failure against Pakistan.

Extremely convenient of you to already start giving excuses for your bonafide hero. He's in a rut of form and I wouldn't be surprised if Junaid makes a mockery out of him once again. He looked like a proper tail ender the last time these two met for an extended run.

 

[Speedster777]

Nobody cares what's in your head. The goal is to send you back to the pavilion on a duck and Indian team will collapse like a pack of cards.

 

[spade]

Should be another one sided affair. Unfortunately, the gulf between India and pak has widened over the years, also pakistani boys are not known to be fearless, they wilt under pressure, can't blame them entirely as well, they are not used to playing in front of full houses. Would love to witness a nail biter with India sealing the game of the final ball, but that's just wishful thinking.

 

[Speedster777]

Last Asia Cup, all Indian top order was back to pavilion in 3 overs lol so much for one sided affair

 

[IamIndian]

Last Asia Cup, all Indian top order was back to pavilion in 3 overs lol so much for one sided affair

Last Asia Cup, entire Pakistan team was back in the Pavilion for mere 81 runs. On green top pitch great Pakistani phaast bowlers couldn't get more than 5 Indian wickets !

 

[Pete Rose]

Sure Kohli is playing it down. The difference of course is that, these guys are able to follow their words. Not so pakistan. Who is going to man up for pakistan: hafeeZ?

 

[ask_analyse_act]

Kohli playing it down and this is how you have take it and show the outlook in media. Unnecessary pressure was created within Pakistan team and media which also a cause for their crumbling defeats against India. It is obvious India absorb their pressure and handle nerves well in high profile ICC indo-pak encounters. Pak always had an edge on paper with their bowling attack which India manipulates well to put a decent score on board and dhoni who is the best in applying constant pressure squeeze pak batsmen and make them play like school kids against a mediocre bowling attack.

 

[Mamoon]

Extremely convenient of you to already start giving excuses for your bonafide hero. He's in a rut of form and I wouldn't be surprised if Junaid makes a mockery out of him once again. He looked like a proper tail ender the last time these two met for an extended run.

Yes yes, he is quaking in his boots at the prospect of facing the chucking trundler.

 

[ahmedwaqas92]

Yes yes, he is quaking in his boots at the prospect of facing the chucking trundler.

This is the same 'chucking trundler' that schooled The Rockstar 3 times out of 3 on their previous encounters and even if he somehow manages to hold his own this time the score line will still remain 3-1 at the end of the day......

Kohli can't play pace on seaming tracks to save his life and we'll get a proper confirmation of the latter come 4th June....

 

[WhenSultansBowled]

Call me crazy but I think there is some amount of truth to what Virat is saying - speciallybin ICC events in the last decade or so.

You can tell that India deal with the "big game" situation a lot better and they do just play it like any other match, which is why every time they come out on top.

Whether you think of the 2007 T20 WC group match, the 2007 T20 WC Final, the 2011 WC semi final etc. - these were all matches that were very close & in my opinion Pakistan lost because they were unable to handle the pressure, meanwhilst India played it just like they would against any other team, did the basics right & cashed in on Pakistans mistake.

If our boys can learn to do the same & cope with the pressure of the "big game", it will definitely know show in their performance on the pitch and also in the result In-Shaa-Allah.

Well said. We drop too many catches, + @ Mohali, BCCI interfered with DRS with that LBW decision.

Unfortunately, our team lacks experience and just can't picture them winning vs India

 

[Mamoon]

Well said. We drop too many catches, + @ Mohali, BCCI interfered with DRS with that LBW decision.

Unfortunately, our team lacks experience and just can't picture them winning vs India

BCCI also interfered with the brains and fingers of our fielders which is why we dropped Tendulkar a dozen times. They also interfered with the meal during the innings break which is why our batsmen crapped their pants during the run chase.

In fact, it was due to Indian interference that we played in Mohali in the first place, because had they not attacked SL in Lahore, we would have played that semifinal in Pakistan and won. I am still hopeful that the ICC will declare Pakistan as the rightful winners of the 2011 World Cup one day, because India and BCCI cheated us out of the tournament.

 

[LastManstanding]

This is the same 'chucking trundler' that schooled The Rockstar 3 times out of 3 on their previous encounters and even if he somehow manages to hold his own this time the score line will still remain 3-1 at the end of the day......

Kohli can't play pace on seaming tracks to save his life and we'll get a proper confirmation of the latter come 4th June....

And if Kohli manages to score in that match, the pitch will be labelled as "flat" on PP.

 

[Pollack]

Virat calling the crumbling pillars of MSD and UV as the strongest pillars

Sad and hilarious.

 

[Mamoon]

This is the same 'chucking trundler' that schooled The Rockstar 3 times out of 3 on their previous encounters and even if he somehow manages to hold his own this time the score line will still remain 3-1 at the end of the day......

Kohli can't play pace on seaming tracks to save his life and we'll get a proper confirmation of the latter come 4th June....

Yes indeed. Kohli will go down as a legend but it means nothing when he lost the mini personal battle with Junaid, who will not even be amongst the top 1000 players to have played the game. The only thing that matters is that Junaid got the better of Kohli three times out of three.

 

[Pollack]

Well said. We drop too many catches, + @ Mohali, BCCI interfered with DRS with that LBW decision.

Unfortunately, our team lacks experience and just can't picture them winning vs India

Get well soon bro. I know its difficult to handle a loss against India. Next time set up your own DRS system.

 

[WhenSultansBowled]

Love it when Indians get triggered.

 

[Pete Rose]

Sad and hilarious.

Good enough vs pakistan

 

[Pollack]

Good enough vs pakistan

May be. Maybe not. Seriously scared of our batting. Kohli is not in form. So no one to hide the obvious weakness. Bowling is only our hope which for the first time is stronger than batting.

 

[Pollack]

Love it when Indians get triggered.

Maybe you should trigger development of DRS which cannot be tampered by BCCI. Use your energy wisely. )

 

[Pete Rose]

May be. Maybe not. Seriously scared of our batting. Kohli is not in form. So no one to hide the obvious weakness. Bowling is only our hope which for the first time is stronger than batting.

They raise their game usually, come the moment. Ours wilt

 

[waleed88]

Yes indeed. Kohli will go down as a legend but it means nothing when he lost the mini personal battle with Junaid, who will not even be amongst the top 1000 players to have played the game. The only thing that matters is that Junaid got the better of Kohli three times out of three.

Actually Junaid and Kohli did face off in CT 2013 last year but nothing happened and Kohli played him pretty well, point is every bowler needs runs to play with which our batsmen are not good enough of giving

 

[Mamoon]

Actually Junaid and Kohli did face off in CT 2013 last year but nothing happened and Kohli played him pretty well, point is every bowler needs runs to play with which our batsmen are not good enough of giving

I know that, but I didn't bring it up because I would have been told that the match was over before that etc. etc.

 

[ShoonyaSifar]

This is the same 'chucking trundler' that schooled The Rockstar 3 times out of 3 on their previous encounters and even if he somehow manages to hold his own this time the score line will still remain 3-1 at the end of the day......

Kohli can't play pace on seaming tracks to save his life and we'll get a proper confirmation of the latter come 4th June....

Since that 2013 series, Kohli has done well enough vs Pakistan including on seaming tracks!

 

[ShoonyaSifar]

Actually Junaid and Kohli did face off in CT 2013 last year but nothing happened and Kohli played him pretty well, point is every bowler needs runs to play with which our batsmen are not good enough of giving

Naah, Kohli did not face Juniad in that match. Junaid bowled at the start of the innings only when Rohit and Dhawan played him.

 

[FreakCricket]

I have a feeling Ghar ka kohli will take a duck on 4th june.

 

[ShoonyaSifar]

I have a feeling Ghar ka kohli will take a duck on 4th june.

Ghar ka Kohli?

107 in 2015 WC at Adelaide in the last ODI
49 in 2014 T20 WC at Dhaka in last away T20I

In fact Kohli has a terrible record vs Pakistan at home!!

 

[Pete Rose]

While we may feel confident about our opening bowlers, it will count for nothing if India is chasing a score of 220

 

[Third_Umpire]

Very well said by him, and exactly the approach all cricketers should take.

Cricketers are professionals, paid to exhibit their skills to the best of their abilities against all opposition. They shouldn't get caught up in hysteria and hype like us fans do. They should focus on their job every time they step onto the field, whether it's India vs. Pakistan or Zimbabwe vs. Pakistan.

 

[Nikhil_cric]

This is the same 'chucking trundler' that schooled The Rockstar 3 times out of 3 on their previous encounters and even if he somehow manages to hold his own this time the score line will still remain 3-1 at the end of the day......

Kohli can't play pace on seaming tracks to save his life and we'll get a proper confirmation of the latter come 4th June....

I agree brother. Kohli had no chance against Juni,Hassan,Wahab and Aamir on the 4th In the unlikely event that Kohli does fluke a few runs, the pitch will most likely be flat :

 

[Mp812]

Well he has the license to say these things. He has absolutely manhandled Pakistan every time we have faced him over the last 2-3 years. Let's see if the Law of Averages work against him this time. He is due a failure against Pakistan.

True law of averages catches up with all players.
In rohit sharma case, he has failed everytime against Pakistan.
He is due for big score then i guess.