As friendly as I am with Kuldeep (Yadav), I am the same MS, says Virat Kohli
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Virat Kohli has stated that anyone in the dressing room can go up to anyone and say anything he wants while adding that he is as friendly with the likes of Kuldeep Yadav as he is with MS Dhoni. Kohli has also added that he is excited for the upcoming Test championship and is eagerly waiting for it.
One of the cultural changes in the Indian cricket ever since Virat Kohli took over the captaincy has to be the players finding the essence of having fun and not be too bogged down by the failures. The inclusiveness has also resulted in the player even daring to make fun of the seniors and the effect of which is seen on the field. Kohli threw light on it and revealed the dressing room dynamics.
“Daatne wala mahaul ab toh change room mein hain hi nahin (the culture of scolding people isn't there in the change room now.) As friendly as I am with Kuldeep (Yadav), I am the same with MS (Dhoni). The atmosphere is such that anyone can say anything to anyone. I am like walking up to people and telling them, 'dekh maine yeh galtiya kari hain, tu mat kar (listen, I have committed these mistakes, make sure you don't do them),” Kohli told the Times of India.
“Your career improves by two-three years. I believe in empowering people. I believe in giving them space to express themselves and when they come to a stage when they feel jumbled, then I'll have a conversation. I'll talk to them like, 'this is where you are heading and this is where you have to head. These are the kind of things you should be doing. You'll regret not correcting those things early like I did. I don't want you to waste two-three years of your career. You have to play more than what you have played.'”
Whenever offered a chance, Kohli has always been interested in meeting sportspeople from different disciplines and never missed a chance to watch Wimbledon in England or attend his owned club FC Goa in the Indian Super League. The Indian skipper talked about learning from other sports and how the mindset is exactly the same.
“I have interacted with people at different stages and walks of life. Whoever I have spoken to ... I have met Leander and spoken to him about tennis, met Harry Kane recently ... despite different rules in different sports, if you look at people who have done well, the mindset is exactly the same. You speak about a pressure situation with any sportsperson, they will speak with clarity. That's the beautiful thing. That mindset of the sportsperson can bind the nation together and people don't realise this. Now imagine them applying that mindset in daily life, every walk of life,” the Indian skipper added.
With the Ashes starting on August 1, it will also mark the beginning of the World Test Championship. India will play Windies in two Tests in late August which will count towards the Championship points, and Kohli seems very excited for the context that WTC will give to the longest version of the game.
“It's very exciting. I think it's happening at the right time for Test cricket. Although you are going to play bilateral series, the meaning and importance are way more. You have to plan for every series. I was excited about something of this sort and now it's coming to life,” Kohli said.
