"We don't anymore think of winning a Test here and there" - Virat Kohli confident of doing "something special" in India vs South Africa series
Virat Kohli has said Team India are confident of winning series' across the world and no longer thinks of just "winning a Test here and there". The Indian red-ball captain believes his team have the ability to do "something special" when they face South Africa. India are yet to win a Test series in the Rainbow Nation.
Only three teams - England, Australia and Sri Lanka - have managed to beat South Africa on their home soil in a Test series. It is probably the only country where pitches aid serious pace, bounce, and swing simultaneously, thus testing the batters' skills to the hilt.
The last time India visited South Africa in 2018, they were defeated 2-1. The only win came in Johannesburg in the third and final Test and that too, in arguably the toughest conditions the visitors had ever faced. Virat Kohli on Wednesday said his side take motivation from that win and will try and build upon it in the upcoming series.
Virat Kohli told the press:
"We can take a lot of motivation from that, of course. We probably won in the toughest condititons on that tour so that should give us a lot of confidence that if we have the right mindset and we start off a series with a lot of confidence and belief, we can definitely stand up to any challenge that comes up our way and take heart from it."
He added:
"South Africa is one place where we haven't won a series yet and we are very motivated to do that. And the mindset is to go out there and win a series in any country that we play. We don't anymore think of winning a Test match here and there and we'll do our absolute best that we can as a team to make sure we keep contributing towards that cause."
Virat Kohli also admitted India has had issues with collapses and sessions that can go from "very bad" to bad. He, however, assured that with more experience and belief, they are now closer than ever to doing the unprecedented.
Virat Kohli explained:
"[We have] left ourselves a bit too much to do at a certain time when sessions have gone very bad when they have gone bad. It is something we have controlled nicely in the recent past with more experience and the guys understanding how to play in these conditions against which bowlers and how to transition their innings through the day so they can bat long. I think we are very well placed in terms of experience and belief and confidence that this time around we can do something special and get the results we want as a team and overcome probably the toughest condition to go and win a series in. "
Virat Kohli PC highlights:
- He's available for SA ODI series.
- no rift between him and Rohit (cleared for umpteen time).
- he wasn't reached out by Ganguly on T20i captaincy.
- there was no proper communication from BCCI on ODI captaincy.
- King Kohli clears all stipulations!
It was arguably the genius of AB de Villiers that proved the difference between the two teams and helped South Africa stave off India's challenge in 2018. Now with De Villiers, Faf du Plessis, Vernon Philander and Morne Morkel all retired, many believe that 2021 is India's best chance to win an away Test series against the Proteas.
"Centre wicket practice and match simulation" - How Virat Kohli and India are preparing for the South Africa Tests
It seems #ViratKohli has already accepted the truth - no matter how bitter it is - and is getting into the zone of answering his critics with the bat. @Sportskeeda #IndvsSA
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Virat Kohli also gave an insight into India's preparation for the series, especially in the absence of any warm-up games.
Virat Kohli revealed:
"Well as much as center wicket practice as possible, match simulation, I think those kinds of things really help when you play in conditions which are, probably my opinion, for batting the most challenging... So as much simulation as we can have, understanding which areas we are hitting the ball, getting into good shape. And the bowlers as well, with the slips as well, what areas they want to bowl and to cut down those easy singles and boundary options..."
The Test series will kick off at 1:30 IST on December 26 in Centurion.