Hyderabad: Virat Kohli is a master with the willow, and words. The Indian captain was modesty personified as he gave his inferior opponents much respect on match eve but said his men were good enough to grind the best in the world.
“It’s not that other teams were easy or that Bangladesh will be easy,” he said, adding “we don’t feel invincible, but can perform against any team in the world and win against any team in the world.”
Excerpts
On the match: We want to focus on our processes and play good cricket. No team is invincible, no team is unbeatable. There are always opportunities for both sides at different stages of the game. One session or one hour of good cricket can switch the direction. We understand that. We have been able to win games because of persistence by the bowlers and application by batsmen in coming back from tough situations.
On the approach: Every international game is challenging. The mindset remains the same, you prepare the same way, you go and follow the same plans in the middle. The opposition doesn’t matter. I watch the ball, the revolutions on the ball, how much turn it has from the pitch. I am not playing any names or who is running in to bowl. I am playing the ball, that doesn’t change.
On Bangladesh: It’s an equal battle. You can’t discount Bangladesh batting as well. They did outstanding in New Zealand. Outstanding effort to score more than 350 runs in one day, it’s phenomenal going at 4.5 runs an over throughout the day was something very special. So we can’t take any aspect of their team lightly. They have quality cricketers. The only way you can win Test matches is by persistence and application and discipline. I think we are going to focus on those things and not as skill battles in particular. We want a complete team application.
On Bangladesh’s maiden tour of India: It is a historic moment for both teams and the countries as well... I hope this can happen much more. It will be great for them to come and play here in India. It is a special occasion.
On India’s reserves: Bench strength gives you options when people are injured. We are lucky to have guys who are up and ready for Test cricket. Jayant (Yadav) walked in beautifully. In T20s and one-dayers you saw (Yuzvendra) Chahal and Kedar (Jadhav) stepping up. We do have a pool of players who are coming up nicely. Credit obviously goes to the selectors for identifying them, and to the players as well to practice their disciplines regularly, work on their fitness levels, have consistent performances in the domestic circuit… that’s how you come up into that pool.
On his biggest learning: Being patient when there’s a partnership going. That’s something we want to do and to improve on as a team. I think the guys have worked hard on their fitness, they don’t mind bowling dot balls without attacking the batsman throughout the day. They have the fitness to bowl all day in one channel and when the door opens, just sneak in. That’s the biggest learning we have had in the past season and we’d like to take that forward.
On Ajinkya Rahane’s comeback after injury: I feel one game doesn’t overshadow two years of hard work from another player. You have to understand that Jinks has done for the team over the last two years. He averages almost 50 in the last two years and he is probably the most solid batsman in the team in the Test format. We will look at him from that point of view certainly. He deserves to walk back into the team whenever he is fit. Karun was stepping into his shoes what he did was remarkable — sealing a spot as far as the squad is concerned.
