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Not thinking about 100 hundreds, says Kohli
“Firstly, my apologies for coming late,” were the words of Virat Kohli upon entering the press conference room 15 minutes late for the customary pre-match interaction ahead of the first one-day against Australia at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on Sunday. Not taking much time to settle down in his seat much like how he does at the batting crease, Kohli patiently answered all the queries put to him.
By
migrator
migrator
Chennai
Excerpts:
Do you think the team will approach the series against Australia with a different outlook?
I don’t think we need to look at any series differently. As I mentioned in Sri Lanka as well, your preparation should matter more than who you are playing against. You can’t raise or decrease your intensity according to who you are playing against. So, we like to prepare the same way and play with the same kind of intensity regardless of the opposition.
With most teams relying on all-rounders, will you accommodate three bowlers and two bowling all-rounders?
A lot of teams are heading that way. You need depth in batting and bowling as well. We need to identify at least two of those guys. We need a proper allrounder and not a bowling and a batting allrounder. That’s something we have focused on. It has paid dividends in the last series and that’s something we will look to continue.
You are breaking away from the pack when it comes to centuries. Do hundred hundreds play on your mind?
I don’t play for the three-figure mark. That’s why I end up crossing it because I am not thinking about it. If I am 98 or 99 not out, I don’t mind as long as I win the game. Whatever time I play —10 years, 12 years — I will never think of records because it doesn’t come to me naturally. What matters to me is how well my team performs.
You have two wrist-spinners. Would you be tempted to play both of them?
It is a great advantage to have two wrist-spinners, especially when both are different to each other and both can pick up wickets in the middle overs. You can have as many dot balls as you want, but if you can’t pick up wickets you can go for 10-12 runs an over.
What role do you see KL Rahul performing?
I think one should be flexible to bat anywhere. Rahul is an outstanding talent and he has proved himself in all formats. And he is someone that needs to be backed.
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