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"Wanted the team to express themselves in Tests, not think about personal performances": Virat Kohli

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"Wanted the team to express themselves in Tests, not think about personal performances": Virat Kohli

This attitude is what makes me believe in Kohli and gives me so much respect for him.

This is what in my opinion makes him a champion player.
:kohli2

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Source: http://indianexpress.com/article/sp...ones-has-diminished-says-virat-kohli-4423287/
Indian captain Virat Kohli said that the importance of personal milestones is of little significance under his leadership.

“One thing that I really wanted the team to do was express themselves in Test matches and not think about personal performances,” said Kohli at the post-match interaction.

“Because a lot of the times, you have an hour in the Test match where you can take the game away and you are still not willing to go for it because you are close to your milestone or things like that. These are the things that we have gotten out of our system completely. We just look at the situation and play and that is why we have been in winning positions more often than not,” Kohli explained.

He also pointed out about the changes that have been made in the squad with a view to win not just individual matches but the entire series.

“Even with the teams that we have played, we have made quite a few changes and the guys have bought into it. So, as a captain, that gives you total freedom to play the 11 according to the conditions that you are going to play in, and the ultimate aim has been to win games and win series. Not only one Test match, but to win series. That is why we have won five in a row,” he said.

“And as I said, it is been an outstanding effort by the guys so far and long it may continue because we are going to play for another 8-10 years and this mindset needs to continue for us to be a top-quality consistent side,” he added.
 
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Considering the effort India had to put in - across three back-to-back Tests - on fair pitches, Kohli believed the 3-0 over England was the team's best result in recent times.

"Out of the five that we've won, this is the best by far," he said. "Because of the quality of the opposition, and the kind of cricket that we've played as well. We're very proud of that, and for me as a captain, this is definitely on top.

"I think the pitches have been far more true than the New Zealand series. That is something that I observed immediately. All wickets have been good cricket wickets and we have had to play good cricket to win these three Tests, and none of the matches have been surrendered by the opposition. We have had to work hard for it, and the bowlers have had to work harder in this series, I feel, to get batsmen out and to control the flow of runs as well. We have used more in-out fields in this series than we did in the New Zealand series so it's pretty evident that the wickets have been better."

Kohli was pleased with how India maintained constant pressure because England, he said, were not going to break down on their own. "We have been put under pressure many times," he said. "I think I would give my team a lot of credit for bouncing back from those tough situations. We haven't got anything on the platter. We have had to work hard for it. And it's been a result of constant pressure that we have forced the opposition to make mistakes.

"With the bat as well we have shown really good character to come back into the game, showing enough patience, more than the opposition, so I would credit my team more than calling it an easy series. No series win is easy, especially not this one. We know England is a quality Test side, and we knew that they would try to bounce back. Even in this game after being 2-0 down, they put 400 runs in the first innings. This is not a team that will throw in the towel. They will fight, and we saw another example of it. We were tested but we came out on top."

One of the key factors in the resilience India have shown with the bat has been Kohli himself. He has made 640 runs in four Tests, scoring a double-century on a square turner in Mumbai, a big ton from 22 for 2 in Visakhapatnam, and a scarcely believable 81 in the second innings when he kept hitting shooters for fours.

Still Kohli cherishes his hundred in the second innings in Adelaide more. Chasing 364, he took India within striking distance of a win, but a collapse in the end left him heartbroken.


"I am still personally very attached to the one in Adelaide in the second innings because that was the beginning of this transition," Kohli said. "This has been an on-going process, so I have only gained from the energy around in the change-room and from the team-mates as well. But this probably can be second-best, in my heart I still rate the one in Adelaide in the second innings higher than the ones I have scored elsewhere.

"This innings was really satisfying. It was a test of patience. Knowing we are 2-0 up, we can't be taking anything for granted going into the last Test. You don't want to leave one Test with the opposition still having a chance to level the series. So from that sense, it was very important to wrap it up here.

"Vijay was going great guns, I was enjoying batting with him but then that collapse happened in the middle. So all sort of things come into your head, whether you're going to be able to reach 400 or if you want to get close to the target. The lead was never in mind at that stage, we just wanted to get close to 400.

"Things shaped up nicely, and then we thought a 40-50 run lead will be great. But eventually, we got 231 of them. That for me was a revelation of me understanding that 'yes, you can bat for longer periods than what you might have thought initially'. If you're focused on what the team needs, you don't realise, you don't feel the tiredness, you don't feel the fatigue. It's all about what the team wants, and in that process, you can go on for longer than what you think otherwise."

An advantage for India in keeping a focus on those small targets was that it helped them not to get dragged into the "revenge series" that the marketing machinery kept building an England tour as.

"That's all for TRPs [ratings]," Kohli said. "I feel all these little visuals that you see on Star [host broadcaster] and TV before the series, a lot of the campaigns are pretty exciting for people to watch actually. They like those sort of things, people talking about the series and saying this one will thrash this one.

"As cricketers, honestly, it's far from what we think about. We understand how the game goes, and how minute these moments can be in Test cricket of winning and losing games. If you focus on that, you're already taking your mind off what you're going to do. These things are just to spice things up for viewers, which is great. It engages fans well, but as cricketers we should understand what to pay attention and what not to. We can't expect these things not to be shown or displayed. It's our responsibility to focus on our job and the viewer should get what they want, which is exciting cricket and the campaign should help things spice up a bit as well."
 
Yes Kohli, we know Sachin was like that and you're completely different.

It's all good as long as you don't step outside subcontinent. :amir

Where someone else will be expressing things. :steyn
 
Where someone else will be expressing things. :steyn

Kohli scored 119 and 96 in his very first test in South Africa. The attack contained Steyn, Morkel, Philander and Kallis.

The first innings scores were 280 (India) and 244 (South Africa), so a commendable effort.
 
Kohli scored 119 and 96 in his very first test in South Africa. The attack contained Steyn, Morkel, Philander and Kallis.

The first innings scores were 280 (India) and 244 (South Africa), so a commendable effort.

That's fine, I mean to say the team as a whole.
 
So he rates that 2nd innings century in a lost cause as the best knock!!

That was indeed a terrific knock and one which almost won the game for india and even then, he had given specific instructions to the team to not go for a draw, but to try and win the game. In the end, he got out playing an attacking stroke.
 
My only problem with Kohli's captaincy is his obsession to find a place for Rohit Sharma in the XI.

Against NZ, he played 4 bowlers just to accomodate Sharma. We still won 3-0, so cannot complain, but they why didnt we stick to same strategy in first test vs England and make a like of like replacement (Nair).

Kohli had made playing 5 bowlers his trademark, and he was fine with as long as Pujara was dropped or injured until 3rd test in SL. But once Pujara made a career comeback 100, Kohli either had to drop Sharma or play 4 bowlers for subsequent series vs WI and NZ. He chose to play 4 bowlers, until Sharma got injured, and he is back to 5 bowlers. Pujara was dropped once with comments on his strike rate, but thankfully Kumble put an end to that nonsense quite publically.

It will be interesting what he does when Sharma is fit. He surely cannot drop Jayant. Both him and Ashwin have better test average than Rohit. So will he drop Rahane? Or Rahul?
 
My only problem with Kohli's captaincy is his obsession to find a place for Rohit Sharma in the XI.

Against NZ, he played 4 bowlers just to accomodate Sharma. We still won 3-0, so cannot complain, but they why didnt we stick to same strategy in first test vs England and make a like of like replacement (Nair).

Kohli had made playing 5 bowlers his trademark, and he was fine with as long as Pujara was dropped or injured until 3rd test in SL. But once Pujara made a career comeback 100, Kohli either had to drop Sharma or play 4 bowlers for subsequent series vs WI and NZ. He chose to play 4 bowlers, until Sharma got injured, and he is back to 5 bowlers. Pujara was dropped once with comments on his strike rate, but thankfully Kumble put an end to that nonsense quite publically.

It will be interesting what he does when Sharma is fit. He surely cannot drop Jayant. Both him and Ashwin have better test average than Rohit. So will he drop Rahane? Or Rahul?

Rohit Sharma does deserve a place in the Tests. He has been erratic but is still the most technically sound batsman in the line up.
Rahane has been fizzling out more often than not. Chintu enters God mode, in India only.
Vijay is ok while KL Rahul is rising.

We can't rely on runs scored by Ashwin, Jayant Yadav or Jadeja in India, their batting skills are untested on fast pitches. Frankly, I think Ashwin bats like Laxman and can thrive well on seaming pitches, But Sir Jadeja is hitout or get out, Jayant .. we don't know.

Going by performances Rahane will be dropped. Parthiv Patel and Saha will be keeper choices. Though Saha should always be first pick.
 
Rohit Sharma does deserve a place in the Tests. He has been erratic but is still the most technically sound batsman in the line up.
Rahane has been fizzling out more often than not. Chintu enters God mode, in India only.
Vijay is ok while KL Rahul is rising.

We can't rely on runs scored by Ashwin, Jayant Yadav or Jadeja in India, their batting skills are untested on fast pitches. Frankly, I think Ashwin bats like Laxman and can thrive well on seaming pitches, But Sir Jadeja is hitout or get out, Jayant .. we don't know.

Going by performances Rahane will be dropped. Parthiv Patel and Saha will be keeper choices. Though Saha should always be first pick.

No he does not . The guy is a complete hack and has n technique , except against the short ball . Swing / Movement or spin hes a sitting duck . its a a joke that hes still under consideration .
 
Rohit Sharma does deserve a place in the Tests. He has been erratic but is still the most technically sound batsman in the line up.
Rahane has been fizzling out more often than not. Chintu enters God mode, in India only.
Vijay is ok while KL Rahul is rising.

We can't rely on runs scored by Ashwin, Jayant Yadav or Jadeja in India, their batting skills are untested on fast pitches. Frankly, I think Ashwin bats like Laxman and can thrive well on seaming pitches, But Sir Jadeja is hitout or get out, Jayant .. we don't know.

Going by performances Rahane will be dropped. Parthiv Patel and Saha will be keeper choices. Though Saha should always be first pick.

I read again and you are suggesting to drop Rahane for Rohit ? Rahane if forced to plpay left handed can play better than this guy .
 
Rohit Sharma does deserve a place in the Tests. He has been erratic but is still the most technically sound batsman in the line up.
Rahane has been fizzling out more often than not. Chintu enters God mode, in India only.
Vijay is ok while KL Rahul is rising.

We can't rely on runs scored by Ashwin, Jayant Yadav or Jadeja in India, their batting skills are untested on fast pitches. Frankly, I think Ashwin bats like Laxman and can thrive well on seaming pitches, But Sir Jadeja is hitout or get out, Jayant .. we don't know.

Going by performances Rahane will be dropped. Parthiv Patel and Saha will be keeper choices. Though Saha should always be first pick.

Are you really saying this with a straight face? He is a sitting duck when there is even a minute amount of swing or spin. Rohit is a wonderful ODI player, but not a first choice in tests.
 
Are you really saying this with a straight face? He is a sitting duck when there is even a minute amount of swing or spin. Rohit is a wonderful ODI player, but not a first choice in tests.

I believe so. Its infuriating to see him not live upto his potential. But I think our line up without Rohit is not sustainable.
 
I do hope to see Kohli and Kumble start to say we have done well at home and we would like to see how well we perform on our away tours.

I remember Ganguly being absolutely clear about that as a captain, read many statements in media that benchmark for a team is how well it plays away from home.
 
Rohit Sharma does deserve a place in the Tests. He has been erratic but is still the most technically sound batsman in the line up.
Rahane has been fizzling out more often than not. Chintu enters God mode, in India only.
Vijay is ok while KL Rahul is rising.

We can't rely on runs scored by Ashwin, Jayant Yadav or Jadeja in India, their batting skills are untested on fast pitches. Frankly, I think Ashwin bats like Laxman and can thrive well on seaming pitches, But Sir Jadeja is hitout or get out, Jayant .. we don't know.

Going by performances Rahane will be dropped. Parthiv Patel and Saha will be keeper choices. Though Saha should always be first pick.

Mate if by any chance Rahane gets dropped before or for Rohit I would literally stop watching Indian test matches!

Can't believe you even mention both of them in the same line ,not like you started watching cricket from the NZ series?

Also technically Rohit is nothing in test cricket his defense his weak against moving ball.
 
Yes Kohli, we know Sachin was like that and you're completely different.

It's all good as long as you don't step outside subcontinent. :amir

Where someone else will be expressing things. :steyn

He made 4 centuries in australia in a single series. He batted brilliantly in SA. Only place where he hasn't done much is England.
 
That was indeed a terrific knock and one which almost won the game for india and even then, he had given specific instructions to the team to not go for a draw, but to try and win the game. In the end, he got out playing an attacking stroke.

Rahane was wrongly given out.India was well on course as long as MV and Kohli were there. But Rahane's wicket killed it.
 
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