Virat Kohli : Creating tags and headlines is not our job, we just want to play cricket
Virat Kohli is adamant that he, along with his team, doesn't get carried away by the praise they are receiving as the 29-year-old claims that ‘We’re just doing our job’. Kohli became the only player in the history of the limited-overs format to smash 500+ runs in a bilateral series.
After a disappointing start to the year, which saw the Indian team succumb to a 2-1 defeat at the hands of the South Africans in the three-match Test series last month, the onus was on Kohli & Co. to bounce back in the six-match ODI series. But the visitors didn’t just make a quick return, they managed to run riot against the home team defeating them in comfortable fashion by a scoreline of 5-1.
The Indian captain scored three tons in the six limited-overs games with his last century coming yesterday where he was unbeaten at a score of 129* off just 96 balls. But Kohli refused to get carried away by all the praise and compliments coming his way.
“We haven’t changed our mindset. We have just focused on our cricket. I don’t want to get lost in such thoughts – whether this is the biggest win or no. Our work is to play the game, strive hard, our work is to perform and try to win every match. Now whether this is the biggest win or no, whoever wants to analyze or write will do so,” Kohli said in the post-match presentation, reported Wisden India.
“For us as a team, our only motive is to give 120 percent effort, strive hard in practice and keep our mindset good on every day of the tour and prepare so well that we can go and win. We have achieved that this series and that gives us the most happiness. Creating these tags or headlines is not our work. We just wanted to play cricket which we have executed perfectly this series."
However, Kohli wasn’t pleased with comments from the press who questioned the Indian team’s previous wins on home soil against the likes of Australia, New Zealand and Sri Lanka who claimed that they were relatively easier opponents. The issue of the South Africans missing out on key players like Faf du Plessis, Quinton de Kock and AB de Villiers for the first few matches was brought up by the press as well.
“We had the same mindset when we played in Sri Lanka recently, we had the same mindset when we beat Australia. When we beat Sri Lanka 9-0, everyone said it’s a weak team. When we beat Australia, they still said Australia is not a good ODI side.Then we beat New Zealand, then we beat Sri Lanka again, and we’ve beaten South Africa here again. So the focus has always been on the team,” Kohli said.
“It doesn’t matter who is playing, who is not playing. Whether the team is what it is supposed to be or it’s not, it’s not in our hands and it’s none of our concern. The ups and downs will always be there, but the mindset to deliver for the team accepting every situation as it comes has been the hallmark of this team. So regardless of what the opposition is like, we always go out there and look to embrace the things that are presented to us, and put up our performances accordingly.”
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