ICC Champions Trophy: In our heads there is no difference when we play Pakistan, says Virat Kohli
Indian captain Virat Kohli in his address to the media before the departure of the Indian team to United Kingdon to take part in the Champions Trophy tried his best to play down on all the hype and frenzy surrounding the match between India and Pakistan.
“With due respect to everyone and everything around, we are cricketers and we cannot control things which are out of our control”, Kohli said.
“It is a big match we understand but in our heads there is no difference. The hype and atmosphere around the India-Pakistan match is beyond our control, but for us it is the same as any other match. As professional cricketers we cannot be too emotional about only one match”, he further added.
The Indian captain who also led the Royal Challengers Bangalore and endured a wretched campaign reflected upon the season gone by in which he tasted tremendous success in National colours but failed miserably with the RCB.
“After the kind of season we had, it teaches you a lot about the mindset that you need to have. I realised that you need to control the aggression with which you need to play. It taught me to play within my abilities so that I don't burn out myself. I also learnt a lot as captain,” giveKohli said.
A question which has been floating around ever since the IPL has been how Kohli would be able to bounce back and whether or not he would be able to mute his detractors once again.
The Indian captain was quite relaxed while answering them and said that the game is not about redeeming oneself but to go out there giving it their all.
“I will never play for redemption. I don't know why things are built up as matters of life and death for sub-continental cricketers. I believe in giving my best for the team, wherever I might be playing and against whichever team,” the Delhi boy added.
India will kickstart their campaign against Pakistan on June 4 at Edgbaston.
They will then go on to play Sri Lanka on June 8 and South Africa on June 11.
Also read: ICC Champions Trophy 2017: Rohit Sharma could act as vice-captain of Team India