Not quite convinced about the idea of counting the positives after a lost match, India’s new Test captain Virat Kohli on Sunday said the days of learning are long over and his team would be solely focussed on delivering results.
Addressing a pre-departrure press conference here on Sunday ahead of the tour of Bangladesh, which starts with a one-off Test from June 10, Kohli said his focus is on results. “We’ve learnt a lot, I don’t think we need to play with a mindset of playing to learn. Obviously, we learn about the game all the time, even when we’re watching it on TV. But we’ve played long enough now, we know what we want to achieve as a unit. So, we really want to achieve rather than go out of a match thinking what we have learnt from it,” Kohli said when asked about his expectations from the team.
‘Need to improve fitness’
Insisting that the team is in good shape for the Bangladesh tour, which will also have three ODIs, Kohli said fitness is a prime concern to ensure that his side keeps a steady look. “The team is looking in good shape. We conducted a fitness test yesterday because we feel that fitness is one area where we need to strengthen,” he said.
“Everyone is really excited for a fresh beginning. I am certainly excited about leading the team,” he added.
On his own expectations from the short tour, Kohli said he is looking forward to strategise for the gruelling Test format. “I have captained teams before. At a certain level, you learn while doing the job. Tests are a difficult ball game compared to ODIs or T20s because you have to strategise for a whole day in one go,” he said.
“I have learnt a lot while captaining in Australia. The team’s skills are good and I am looking to continue with the consistency. It’s all about how you improve on your mistakes,” he added referring to his stint Down Under when he took over captaincy after the shock retirement of Mahendra Singh Dhoni from the format.
On his long-term goals as captain, Kohli said he wants to create a vibrant dressing room. “Most definitely we want to create an environment where players feel confident about their abilities. We do have plans and goals that we want to achieve. I feel there should be an environment where guys want to improve everyday for the team,” he said.
“I don’t have personal goals and I feel personal performances shouldn’t be the goals. A particular batsman might get a hundred in a losing cause which isn’t a good feeling. So the primary focus has to be winning the game for the team. Mindset will always be to win the game first,” he asserted.
‘No grudge’
Their last encounter at the World Cup created a lot of controversy, but ahead of the tour Kohli asserted that his team holds no grudge against its opponents.
“We had issues in the past but we have moved ahead. We are finished with the World Cup and played a lot of cricket since then. So I don’t think there will be any remembrance or memory of that,” said Kohli referring to India’s World Cup quarter-final game against Bangladesh.
“We are going there to play and win a Test match and that’s our primary focus. There won’t be any grudges or ill feelings about the opposition. It’s pure and simple professionalism.”