Have to put your ego in your pocket if you wish to succeed in England, says Virat Kohli

Team India skipper Virat Kohli is one of the greatest cricketers of all time, with his ability to dominate the best bowlers in the business hailed by one and all. Kohli is a consistent performer and does not allow anyone to dictate terms to him. However, the cricketer admitted that even players like him have to swallow their ego to find success in England, with the conditions in the nation extremely tough to negotiate. Kohli has struggled to make his presence felt in the ongoing five-match Test series against England, having failed to score a half-century even once in the two Tests conducted so far.

“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,” said the Team India skipper 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 added.

“Just need to do what we need to do as a team”

Kohli enjoys a fine record in England, having scored 593 runs at an average of 59.30 back in 2018. He made amends for a disappointing tour in 2014, smashing two tons and three half-centuries in four Tests. However, none of the members of the current Indian setup have played at Headingley, with England enjoying a fine record at the venue. Kohli refused to pay much attention to this factor, stating that it does not matter to him or his teammates.

“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 stated.

“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,” added Kohli.

Team India stand a chance of winning a historic series in England, if they maintain the same dominance in the upcoming Tests.

“It all depends on mindset at present moment. It looks good to hear all those things but you need to focus on present,” concluded Kohli.