ICC Champions Trophy 2017: Virat Kohli warns against complacency ahead of Sri Lanka clash
What’s the story?
Indian skipper Virat Kohli warned his side not to get too carried away by the 124-run victory against Pakistan on Sunday ahead of Thursday’s Champions Trophy encounter against Sri Lanka and asked the players to maintain the same level of intensity for the remaining matches in the tournament as well.
Heading into the tournament as one of the hot favourites to defend the title they won in 2013, the resounding win over their neighbours has added to the expectations of the Indian cricket fans. Kohli acknowledged that the Men in Blue have been playing well over a period of time but wants the side to retain their focus so as to enable progress in the Champions Trophy.
"At the moment we are playing good cricket but that does not mean we will be arrogant as a team. We respect ever opposition the same way and we tend to play the same kind of cricket against everyone,” he said.
Sri Lanka’s recent struggles and India’s good run of form has prompted suggestions that Thursday’s contest would be an easy one for Kohli’s side, but the Indian skipper is having none of it.
"Sri Lanka are amongst the top eight sides in the world and they have always done well in ICC tournaments. They have talented players in their ranks. This Sri Lankan team is in transition but they have players who can win them games," said the Indian captain.
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Barring the surprise 3-0 Test whitewash against Australia at home in 2016, Sri Lanka have been struggling in all formats of the game, with a number of injuries and failure to replace stalwarts like Mahela Jayawardene, Kumar Sangakkara, and Tillakaratne Dilshan clearly having an impact on their performances.
Skipper Angelo Mathews himself has been struggling with a knee injury which has affected his impact as a bowler, in turn, hampering the side’s balance. They got their Champions Trophy campaign off to the worst possible start as they were thoroughly outplayed by South Africa in their opening match, losing the match by a margin of 96 runs.
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The details
India, on the other hand, made light work of what was an eagerly awaited contest against Pakistan as each of the top 4 batsman – Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, Virat Kohli and Yuvraj Singh – scored half-centuries to help the side past the 300-run mark in what turned out to be a rain-curtailed match.
The impressive performance from the bowling line-up which was short of quality players in Ravichandran Ashwin and Mohammad Shami was certainly a morale booster from an Indian perspective, but skipper Kohli is in no mood to take things lightly.
He addressed the team’s inconsistency in the field against Pakistan as an example of how complacency can become a major cause of concern and warned his players to be on their toes at all times to maintain their status as one of the top contenders for the Champions Trophy.
Kohli played up the presence of potential match-winners in the Sri Lankan side and claimed that their presence in the tournament was proof that they are one of the top eight sides in the world and one which have always done well at major ICC tournaments.
What’s next?
The match between India and Sri Lanka at the Kia Oval in London on Thursday will be the eighth match of the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy which has seen two matches, both involving Australia, being washed out.
The result of the ongoing match between South Africa and Pakistan will have a major impact on how the two teams approach the fixture, especially with the Pakistan side currently on top against the African side.
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Author’s Take
Kohli is absolutely spot on in his views that there is no team that can be taken lightly at a tournament like the Champions Trophy. Despite not being at their best, Sri Lanka do possess in the likes of Lasith Malinga, Dinesh Chandimal and Kusal Perera, players who can win matches on their own.
India should aim at playing their natural game and not allow complacency to creep in at this juncture. A victory over their neighbours will almost guarantee a semi-final berth for the side and that should be their only focus ahead of a potential tough fixture against South Africa.