Indian captain Virat Kohli was at his charming best in the pre-match press conference, ahead of the first ODI between India and England to be played on March 23 at the MCA Stadium in Pune, Maharashtra. India, who have won both the Test and T20I series, will eye a three-peat by clinching the ODI series.
However, they are clashing with the ODI World Champions and no.1 ranked team England. The three ODIs will be played on March 23, 26, and 28 behind closed doors. India is also riding high on the Test series and T20I series win over England recently and will try to do their best.
KL Rahul. (Photo: BCCI)
There’s A Lot Of Impatience Outside The Cricket Setup: Virat Kohli On KL Rahul’s Form
On the eve of the first ODI between India and England in Pune, Virat Kohli rubbished concerns about KL Rahul’s form. He went on to use a few lines from the 1972 Hindi movie Amar Prem, starring Rajesh Khanna, in order to answer a question about the Karnataka batsman’s batting slump.
“The subject of form and out of form reminds me of the song – ‘Kuch toh log kehenge, logo ka kaam hai kehna. Chhodo bekaar ki baaton mein kaheen beet na jaaye rainaa’ (People will say something or the other, it’s the job of people to say something. Forget all these useless things or else our night will end just around them),” Virat Kohli said.
“There’s a lot of impatience outside the cricket setup, and everyone has a point of view. Some people form an opinion on what the player is thinking, and that becomes a judgment. When a player is down, some people enjoy having their fun at his expense and further pulling him down,” he added.
Team Has A System In Place To Help Out-Of-Form Players Like KL Rahul: Virat Kohli
Virat Kohli spoke about the Indian team management’s system in place to help out-of-form players to keep them safe in mental capacity given that the external ‘noise’ can be disconcerting.
“As a part of team management, we know how to manage this. Personally, the player suffers from a bit of a difficult phase. It’s not like he forgets how to play. It becomes a question of mental clarity, which takes a bit of a toll. At the same time, when the player knows what’s being spoken about him outside, it’s another external factor that he puts into his system,” Virat Kohli said.
K<!---->L<!----> <!---->R<!---->a<!---->h<!---->u<!---->l<!---->&<!---->#<!---->8<!---->2<!---->1<!---->7<!---->;<!---->s<!----> <!---->S<!---->t<!---->r<!---->u<!---->g<!---->g<!---->l<!---->e<!---->s<!---->[<!---->p<!---->h<!---->o<!---->t<!---->o<!---->:<!----> <!---->T<!---->w<!---->i<!---->t<!---->t<!---->e<!---->r<!---->]“All these outside talks are rubbish. From the start of my career till date, all these talks outside have remained rubbish for me. Why does one say something? What agenda the person has? For what a premise is being set? We don’t even let these thoughts enter the team, and even in the future, we will continue to do so. At the same time, we will continue to back our players and try and provide a good mental space for them,” he said about keeping players in safe and positive mental space.
The first ODI between India and England will be played on March 23 from 3.30 PM IST at the MCA Stadium in Pune.
Also Read: Virat Kohli Fires Shots At The English Team For Not Displaying Spirit Of Cricket
