You’ll not see Pune-like bad performance again, promises Kohli
Team Udayavani, Mar 3, 2017, 2:23 PM IST
Bengaluru: Indian captain Virat Kohli today assured that his team will never repeat the kind of “bad performance” and “lack of intent” that led to the humiliating opening Test loss to Australia in Pune.
The Indians were hammered by 333 runs in the first Test inside three days in a stunning defeat, which ended their 19-match unbeaten streak.
Ahead of the second Test starting here tomorrow, Kohli said the hosts have learnt their lessons from the debacle.
“You will not see such a bad performance again, I will assure you that,” said the feisty captain in a pre-match press conference.
“It is important to accept defeats. We lost the Pune match because of lack of intent. Australia played better cricket. It is important to accept defeat, if you go by your ego or ignore it, it will affect you only. It doesn’t mean losing in Pune would result in us losing the other matches also,” he added.
Kohli said it was a rare collective failure for the Indians.
“Sometimes such defeats are necessary. This gave us a platform to understand where we lacked. It happens very rarely that the whole team does not perform, this is what happened in the last match. We learnt a lot from that loss,” Kohli said.
“Even if we win or lose, our preparation remains the same. The intensity remains the same even if we lose or win a match. Basically you don’t change the practice depending upon the result,” he added.
Kohli refused to divulge what changes are likely to be made in the playing XI though he promised “surprises”.
“We have a combination in mind and we will finalise it when we sit together this evening. There are all kinds of possibilities tomorrow there could be few surprises,” he said.
However, Kohli did confirm that all-rounder Hardik Pandya was not yet fit to be considered for selection.
“Hardik Pandya is not available for selection. He has a niggle in his shoulder. Rest of them are fit and available.”
Steve Smith’s men were labelled the weakest Australian team ever to tour India before the series but managed to surprise naysayers with a thoroughly commendable all-round performance.
Smith himself showed excellent form for a hundred on the rank turner of Pune.
Asked how the home team would look to negate the Smith factor, Kohli said, “Our focus is not only on him. I think the whole team has to play against Australia to win the Test match. We are not focussing on one player at all.”
“All 10 wickets have to be taken twice to win a Test match, that is something we already have marked,” he added.
Udayavani is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel and stay updated with the latest news.
Top News
Related Articles More
BCCI vs PCB spar on CT venue as Naqvi denies receiving any official note from Indian board
“Coming soon.. 2025”: KL Rahul and Athiya Shetty announce first pregnancy
Neeraj Chopra to head to South Africa for off-season training later this month
ICC pitch ratings: Chepauk deemed ‘very good’, Kanpur outfield ‘unsatisfactory’
Ranji Trophy: Shreyas Iyer’s majestic 233 puts Mumbai in complete command against Odisha
MUST WATCH
Latest Additions
BCCI vs PCB spar on CT venue as Naqvi denies receiving any official note from Indian board
Use Carnatic music to promote Kannada language: Nirmala Sitharaman
Udupi: Car collides with bike; Rider injured
UP women’s body proposes men shouldn’t tailor women’s clothes or cut their hair
NSE, BSE to be closed on Nov 20 for Maharashtra assembly polls
Thanks for visiting Udayavani
You seem to have an Ad Blocker on.
To continue reading, please turn it off or whitelist Udayavani.