SA vs IND 2018: 'Everyday is a Learning Phase for Me' - Virat Kohli

India skipper Virat Kohli has been under scrutiny for his decision making in the ongoing series against South Africa and is looking forward to making amends in the third and final Test to be played at the Wanderers in Johannesburg on Wednesday.

India has already lost the three-match Test series and will be under pressure to salvage some pride and play as the World number Test side.

Indian batsmen have been struggling in the fast and bouncy pitches in South Africa, and the Proteas fast bowlers have been ruthless in their approach.

None of the Indian batsmen has been able to look comfortable against seam and bounce except for Virat Kohli who scored a brilliant 153 in the first innings of the second Test.

As a batsman, Kohli has been in excellent touch off-late, but his captaincy skills have been under scrutiny. Kohli has a record of playing a different playing XI in all the Tests he had led in and will most probably go in with a different XI in the third Test in Johannesburg.

Kohli in the press conference said that he is learning every day as a captain,

“Well, every game is a learning experience whether you win or lose. The only thing that you learn is, you can go out and try to do things that have happened in the past, try and not make those errors and that’s probably the only thing that you take forward as a captain and as an individual also. That’s how you progress and determined at this level. So, it’s nothing different. I am learning every day, it’s not like you stop learning at any stage; when you win you learn as well. So, we are trying to rectify those mistakes and keep the positives in our head at the same time.”

“As a captain as well, you want to proudly do better in situations when the game has gone away from you at times. So, I have thought about those things as well – how you can still keep the pressure on and not let the game slip away in very quick time. I always keep thinking about my game, how I can learn as a captain and get better in every aspect of what I do. I never stop learning.”

Kohli also added learning from past mistakes is a part of every sportspersons career,

“As I said, every day is a learning phase for me. If I didn’t learn from the early days of my career, I wouldn’t be here. So it’s always an ongoing process of learning every day, learning from your mistakes, correcting those mistakes and going forward. Even focussing on the positives, you need to be able to still work on your positives to be able to be a consistent international player over a period of time. I have never stopped learning; I will never stop learning.”

“Look responsibility can become less or more according to the phases, it’s all about hanging in there and accepting all the phases that are coming your way. Sometimes the team is playing so beautifully; you don’t need to do anything you feel so relaxed. So even this is a part of it. I have to take it in my stride and go forward. And not sit here and say ‘this is a lot of burdens’ That’s not the right attitude. I’m willing to go through any kind of phase, I have gone through bad phases in my career. Ups and downs are a part of a sportsman’s career, and I understand that. As I said you learn every day and keep moving forward.”

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