Indian skipper Virat Kohli is on the verge of adding another feather to his captaincy cap. Under him, the Indian team has won as many as 19 out of 29 Tests till date. If they whitewash Sri Lanka 3-0 now, Kohli will surpass Sourav Ganguly’s record of 21 Test wins as Indian skipper.
Without any doubt MS Dhoni is at the top with, 27 Test wins in 60 Tests. If Kohli led team manages to win 2 Tests, he will be on par with Ganguly. Several former greats have praised Kohli’s aggressive style of leadership that reflects on other Indian players as well. Brushing aside rumors of taking a break ahead of the South Africa tour, Kohli in an interview with The Hindustan Times revealed his love for cricket and fitness.
Talking about his love for the game and fitness, Virat said, “I want every ball to be an event that we win as a team. So, I give my 120 percent for that. I am naturally like that so I need to work hard. My game will be nothing if I am not intense enough on the field and that is one of the main reasons why I keep working hard on my fitness but now, it has become more of a second nature and my lifestyle. I would rather miss a practice session but not my training session. That’s how important it has become for me.”
He further elaborated, “For me, it’s about doing my duty for the team and the sport that has given me everything. So, to me, what people say or write about me does not matter at all, not even one percent. In fact, it has never mattered to me because I have seen that whatever is said or written about you is very unproductive.”
When asked if the pressure was ever over the top for him, Kohli replied, “I have expectations of myself to work hard and prepare to the best of my potential. The expectation isn’t of scoring a century every time I step onto the field because whatever said and done, people will say and talk a lot about all the factors but as an individual, you understand that it’s not possible to go out there and execute [every time] what you want to because there are ten more people in your team and you are playing against another eleven.”
Kohli concluded by talking about the importance of fitness in the current era, he said, “It is the most important thing because when you play in all three formats because you want your game to be at a certain level all the time. You need to work hard, make lifestyle changes because your fitness and routines have to become the priority. That’s the only way you can attain or achieve the standards that you set for yourself every time. And I am someone who doesn’t like to take any game easily and not be intense on the field.”
