×

Virat Kohli’s Mantra to Win Test Series in England: Milestones Don’t Matter, Chasing Pursuit of Excellence is Important

For Kohli personally, winning in England is nothing more than winning anywhere else and it is all about the team culture of going for a win.

With Tokyo Olympics 2020 entering towards its business end, the focus is slowly and steadily shifting towards the highly-anticipated five-match Test series between India ane England, starting August 4 in Nottingham. The series will also mark the beginning of the second edition of the ICC World Test Championship. Both teams are leaving no stone unturned for the big contest which will provide a perfect appetizer before the IPL and T20 World Cup later this year.

Meanwhile, India captain Virat Kohli on Monday said it takes “relentless madness” and single-minded pursuit of excellence to win a Test series in English conditions. Taking some time off from his gruelling training schedule, Kohli was caught for a quick conversation with India wicket-keeper and part-time cricket commentator Dinesh Karthik. Revealing his thought process to play a Test match on English soil, the 32-year-old said: “I will answer your second question first, it takes relentless madness and pursuit of excellence every day over a five-Test series, to tell yourself I want to do the hard work and I want to get into situations, which are tough in every Test match on every day.

“And you are going to be ready for that kind of workload, and that kind of mental load,” Kohli told ‘Sky Sports’ on Monday.

For Kohli personally, winning in England is nothing more than winning anywhere else and it is all about the team culture of going for a win.

“To answer your first question, for me personally, it means nothing more than winning a Test match or a Test series anywhere else in the world.

“As I said, for me, these things are not anecdotes in my career or milestones in my career.

“We step on the field and we compete and we are looking to win every Test match, that is what matters more to me, because again that is a culture, these are results,” added Kohli, one of the finest batsmen of the modern era.

Kohli also spoke about the winning mentality which he and head coach Ravi Shastri have tried to inculcate in the team. “For Indian cricket it will be a huge thing and we have done it before and we can do it again, but this culture is what is more dear to me and I will do everything in my ability, even if you lose a Test match.

“I want us to go for the win and not surrender and try to save a test match on day three or day four, that for me is just not acceptable.”

India captain needs just 453 runs to complete 8000 runs in Test cricket. He has slammed 7547 runs in 92 Test matches with the help of 27 tons and 25 fifties.

“So, for me as I said, milestones don’t matter at all. If I had played for milestones in my career, I probably would not have half of what I have right now. My mindset is pretty clear and for us it is just pursuit of excellence,” he signed off.

trending this week