"This is the time to enjoy" - Virat Kohli on WTC Final
Indian skipper Virat Kohli believes his men aren't taking undue pressure ahead of the World Test Championship (WTC) final against New Zealand. He feels the Indian team will 'enjoy' playing the one-off game to cap off the first cycle of the showpiece event.
The Indian team's performance under the captaincy of Virat Kohli in ICC tournaments held in England has been spectacular. They finished runners-up to Pakistan in the 2017 Champions Trophy and also reached the 2019 World Cup semifinals against New Zealand.
However, in the press conference ahead of the WTC final, Virat Kohli insisted that neither he nor his team are carrying the excess baggage of the past and are determined to put on a great show against the Kiwis.
"For me, this isn't a challenge. For the team, it has been quite a challenging time. This is the time to enjoy all the hard work that we have done as a team for the past 5-6 years. So how we look at things is a lot different than how people view it. If we begin to think like other people then it will really be difficult for us to perform," Virat Kohli asserted.
I am just committed to taking Indian cricket forward: Virat Kohli
Virat Kohli took over the reins of India's Test captaincy back in 2014 and he hasn't looked back ever since. Not only did he make India a ruthless and dominant force at home, but the team also achieved a lot of success overseas.
Under Virat Kohli, Team India competed brilliantly away from home, especially in SENA (South Africa, England, New Zealand, Australia) and tormented the opposition with their potent pace attack.
The Indian skipper has complete faith in the ability of his players, which has certainly helped him as well as other team members eliminate all jitters before the grand finale.
"The responsibility as a captain that has been given to me is not something that puts me under pressure. I am just committed to taking Indian cricket forward until the time I am playing this game. As long as we are helping each other out, there will never be any added pressure and we will enjoy the WTC final," Virat Kohli said.
The Kiwis might have a slight edge going into the final, given they would be better adapted to the conditions in England. However, one can never count Virat Kohli's Team India out as they have evolved into one of the best traveling teams in the world.
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