Kohli believes a total team effort and not just his individual brilliance is behind his team's reason for doing so well
Virat Kohli gets as much credit, if not more, for captaining the side to victory after victory. He has just led the team to a new high, remaining unbeaten in 19 successive Tests as a captain.
Kohli believes a total team effort and not just his individual brilliance is behind his team's reason for doing so well. He has also had to change his approach to captaincy to get the desired results.
"Sometimes, when wicket is not falling, I stand in the field and think you literally cannot do anything as a captain. You just have to accept the way the game is going, probably look to be more consistent with the ball and the fields that you set. Honestly it is the players that make you the captain that you become," Kohli said after the match on Monday.
"To be very honest, anyone knows how to set fields. It's just that you make sure you have the responsibility of keeping the energy of the team up. I look to push myself, throw myself so guys know that they have to push for a wicket. A lot of times, you know that there is only so much that you can do as a captain.
"Earlier, I would still be a bit of relentless with fields. But now, I understand when a pair is going for runs, I immediately go for in-out fields, no point giving them 4-5 boundaries. They might as well score 25 runs in singles, and take 15 overs to do that. That creates pressure and when you know you are bowling good balls, one ball does something you are back into the game. That's something I have learnt and hopefully we will take it forward."
Kohli credits his team for his 19 unbeaten Tests as captain. "I don't think it's because of me. We are playing as a team and that's been the difference in this team. You can say probably in 2016 I scored a lot of runs but before that, in 2015 as well, we won a lot of matches. I didn't score many runs but the other guys stepped up and scored runs. So, their confidence was rubbing off on me and that's how you play as a team," he said.
"There are quite a few instances where all the members of the team have stepped up at some stage or the other. That's why we stand where we are and having that streak is not down to 2-3 people."
Kohli reminds everyone that the contribution of the fast bowlers in Indian conditions has been immense.
"If you see the last series, the contribution of the fast bowlers stood out. There was so much focus on the spinners but I thought they (pacers) stood out as the difference between the two sides. These are the things that go unnoticed. Guys who have man of the match performances are usually in focus than the guys who don't have those performances but in the context of the game, they get two set batsmen out and the whole game opens up for the guy who becomes man of the match. We focus on those things and give credit to those guys," he said.
Pleased with his own batting, scoring his fourth Test double ton here in the first innings, Kohli said: "The pitch was really good to bat on and I didn't expect myself to get 204 off 246 balls. Usually, I take more time. The pitch allowed me to play my shots. It was really important to get into the rhythm going into a big series against Australia. I feel good about where my game stands, and hopefully I can take it forward."
Watch out, Aussies.
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