Adelaide: Virat Kohli has no peers when it comes to ODI cricket but he has priceless message for youngsters – sole focus on limited overs formats shouldn’t be used an ‘excuse’ of not being able to cope with challenges that Test cricket presents.
The world’s No 1 batsman with 25 Test hundreds has warned that youngsters will have mental problems if they don’t embrace five-day cricket.
“If we focus too much on shorter formats – yes, they’re important – but if we solely focus and look at them as an escape or an excuse to not be in the kind of situations that Test cricket presents to you, then I think there will start being a mental problem with the cricketers coming up,” Kohli was quoted as saying by ‘Star Sports’.
The Indian skipper, who has played a few defining knocks against world class bowlers like Jimmy Anderson, Stuart Broad and Mitchell Starc during the past year spoke about the hard work that goes into making of a quality Test player.
“As long as you’re willing to wake up every morning for five days and do the hard yards and go do the dirty work – if you’re willing to bat for two hours and not score a run for the team – I think that is what people should prepare (youngsters) (for),” pointed out the Indian skipper.
Kohli also reaffirmed his commitment towards Test cricket and said he wants India to become a superpower in the game’s longest format.
“I wouldn’t say goal but I would rather speak of a vision, which is for India to be a superpower in Test cricket or a very, very strong side in Test cricket in the years to come,” Kohli asserted.
“I think if Indian players respect Test cricket it will stay at the top because of the fan base that we have all over the world,” added the Indian skipper.
Kohli credited Ravi Shastri for making his job easier as the captain of the Indian cricket team. “Ever since 2014, I think he’s (Shastri) one person who’s given me honest feedback whenever things required to be altered,” said Kohli who first became captain of the Test team in the 2014-15 series against Australia.
“I remember we sat down (last year). He said he was not going to talk about batting. But as a captain, I need to start thinking how to get the best out of this team and how to tactically be spot on. And that really hit me because I felt like, you know, there’s so much more to captaincy than you sometimes think,” Kohli informed.
PTI