Indian captain Virat Kohli on Tuesday said conditions for batting are the toughest in England and stressed on the importance of staying focussed throughout the length of the innings, considering the moving ball.
However, Kohli boasts of a fine record in England, having dominated the England attack in 2018. He scored 593 runs at an average of 59.30 and hit 2 hundreds and 3 fifties in 4 Tests. Kohl roared back to form in England after having a disappointing personal tour in 2014 where he struggled to put bat to ball.
“You can never say in England that now you are set (on pitch). You have to put your ego in your pocket. The conditions are not same as it is in other places where you reach 30-40 and know that you can pick balls for your shots,” Kohli said on the eve of the 3rd Test in Headingley.
“You have to bat the same way you bat for your first 30 runs and then repeat the same template till it is possible. This discipline and patience is required in England.
“If you are not patient in England you can get out at anytime, no matter how experienced you are or how many runs you have under your belt. You need good decision making because, conditions in England are toughest in the world, in my opinion,” he said.
None of the members of the current Indian team has played at the Headingley where England have some memorable performances, including the Ashes Test in 2018 wherein Ben Stokes played a blinder to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. Kohli said it does not matter to him or his teammates if they have not played a Test at the venue.
“Look I am not an individual who likes to attach much importance to things that are on the outside for us. It’s just a Test match that needs to be played against England, be at any stadium, anywhere in the world.
“So we just need to do what we need to do as a team. What has happened here, we are not focussed on that at all. All our energies are focussed on what we want to do as a team in the next five days,” he said.
Kohli did not attach any importance to the fact that his side now stands a chance to win a historic series in England. The last time India played at Headingley, they won by an innings.
“I don’t think about history much. For us as team, taking better decision wherever we play is all that matters. To keep remembering something or running after something, we don’t do that. We know what our processes are and we follow that.
“History does not guarantee you anything. If you have not won somewhere that does not mean you will not win there and if you have won somewhere that does not mean you can’t lose there.
“It all depends on mindset at present moment. It looks good to hear all those things but you need to focus on present,” he said.
