Kohli preaches positivity ahead of big tour

[Cricket_Hacker]

Asli kaptaan

Virat Kohli put up a brave front in his first interaction as stand-in Test captain, saying the Indian team needs to adopt an aggressive mindset if they are to do well in Australia. The Brisbane Test will be Kohli's first as captain, leading India in in place of the injured MS Dhoni, but team director Ravi Shastri expected Kohli to appear to be a far more experienced captain. The Indian team will leave for Australia early on Saturday for a four-Test series, to be followed by a tri-series also involving England. That will be followed by the World Cup, to be played in Australia and New Zealand in February-March next year. Despite India's run of poor results overseas over the last three years, Kohli said the mood in the camp was upbeat. "Right now the mood in the team is very positive, we are focusing on being aggressive and having that mindset throughout as a habit rather than fading out in six months' time," Kohli said. Kohli admitted that the experience of having toured Australia previously will help him. India's 2011-12 tour of Australia was a 4-0 disaster, but the improvement in Kohli's Test batting was one of the few bright spots to emerge. He built up his form over the Tests, and carried it over to the tri-series that followed. "Last tour to Australia was a strong change," Kohli said. "I never experienced the aggression and that kind of an atmosphere. I will try to impart that experience to other players of what to expect and what sort of mindset to go with. Once we go with a negative mindset that will keep catching up. You have to be positive every single day. That is something we will focus on going in this tour. "The way I batted in South Africa Tests, personally they were quite memorable for me. I am hopeful that experience will count. It helps mentally as well because you have performed well in difficult conditions." With Dhoni ruled out of the opening Test, Kohli will be in charge of the team for the first three weeks, including the preparations. Shastri expected Kohli to slip into the leadership role with ease. "We have no choice. MS has hardly missed a match in the last so many years. He has played every format for the last so many years, so it's only fair that he gives himself time to be fully fit and come back," Shastri said. "Meanwhile, you have to go with what you have. Virat's leading the side and it might be his first Test match as captain but I can assure you, you will see a guy who you feel has led in 20 to 25 Test matches." With India stationed in Australia for almost three months before the World Cup, Kohli hoped the team will make the most of the experience, though he insisted the Tests are the priority as of now. "It will definitely help us during the World Cup. However, right now our focus is only on the Test series. We will think about the World Cup at the time of the tri-series," Kohli said. "But obviously playing in a place where the World Cup is going to be held in a few months' time will definitely be helpful. We can plan for the World Cup better and this is like a blessing that we will get a chance to prepare better for it. We will not be surprised when we go to the World Cup as to the kind of wickets we will get. It is a very good thing for us." The flip-side of playing a high-pressure and long series just ahead of the World Cup is India are in danger of burning out. Shastri, who featured in a similarly prolonged tour of Australia in 1991-92, stressed on the need to take time off the game for every player to keep fresh for the World Cup. "When you have a long tour, you have the ability to switch off. Don't be thinking overtime, focus on what you have to do but when you are not playing, switch off. You have got to have a way of relaxing, you have got to have hobbies," Shastri said. "A round of golf - and Australia is a great country, there are enough places to go to. Get your mind off the cricket, which is very important when you are not playing so that you are fresh and hungry by the time World Cup starts. That's the key. It's not in what form you are. It's the mental state, how fresh and how hungry are you when you get out there. You will be hungry but your mental state has to be extremely fresh."

[Laaloo]

already a better captain then em es dhoni

[BlueBee]

That's what Dhoni lacks

[Laaloo]

That's what Dhoni lacks

among many other things but let's not go there

[sticky wicket]

As long as there is no talk of 'processes' in public :cantstop:

[Vilander]

Kholi = Result of process.

[fineleg]

MSD = Maha Stupid Dumbo

[tweaker]

Kohli aggressive captainship would be huge bonus in the 1 test

[Lord]

[jf1gp_1]

Its amusing how we always want what we don't have. In 2007-8 when kumble was leading the side there was so much hue and cry why a young dhoni isn't leading the side. Sourov as a captain was aggressive used to speak a lot , when dravid become captain you had some of the younger players like bhaji who took over talking crap. Dhoni was calm and refreshing , the exact thing ppl loved yet today its the exact thing ppl hate. Dhoni needs to go no doubt but if we get hammered in aus then Virat and his whole ruthless thing is going to look silly

[CoverDrive]

I feel this extended tour of aus is not a good idea before world cup If we get on a losing streak everyone will be mentally tired big time.

[rkt.india]

Its amusing how we always want what we don't have. In 2007-8 when kumble was leading the side there was so much hue and cry why a young dhoni isn't leading the side. Sourov as a captain was aggressive used to speak a lot , when dravid become captain you had some of the younger players like bhaji who took over talking crap. Dhoni was calm and refreshing , the exact thing ppl loved yet today its the exact thing ppl hate. Dhoni needs to go no doubt but if we get hammered in aus then Virat and his whole ruthless thing is going to look silly

Excess of anything is bad. Intially, Dhoni was balanced, but got to negative over the years. He used to be aggressive when he wasnt captain but as his captaincy years passed, he kept changing in his approach, captaincy as well as batting. This show that every captain has a shelf life which Dhoni has passed.

[Shivaji bhonsle]

I feel this extended tour of aus is not a good idea before world cup If we get on a losing streak everyone will be mentally tired big time.

Also break down of fast bowlers. I'm not sure if varun, bhuvi can take the work load of 4 test matches, 10,12 Odis and be ready for world cup. I'm scared that the likes of Vinay and Dinda would sneak in during the world cup.

[moniker]

Its amusing how we always want what we don't have. In 2007-8 when kumble was leading the side there was so much hue and cry why a young dhoni isn't leading the side. Sourov as a captain was aggressive used to speak a lot , when dravid become captain you had some of the younger players like bhaji who took over talking crap. Dhoni was calm and refreshing , the exact thing ppl loved yet today its the exact thing ppl hate. Dhoni needs to go no doubt but if we get hammered in aus then Virat and his whole ruthless thing is going to look silly

Don't think people hate Dhoni for being calm, his captaincy has become ineffective and defensive. He can have a poker face for all he likes, as long as the intent and aggression is displayed on the field, it shouldn't be a problem, though sadly that isn't the case.

[kaptaan]

MS Dhoni's understudy ready to take centre stage at the Gabba Virat Kohli will become India's 32nd Test captain at the Commonwealth Bank Test Series opener in Brisbane on December 4, with regular skipper MS Dhoni missing the start of the four-Test series against Australia because of injury. Responding to Peter Siddle's suggestion that he might find the rowdy crowd and added responsibilities "a bit daunting", Kohli got on the front foot. "Well that's for me to know and for me to experience," Kohli said on Sunday. "I've played against him, he's quite a competitive guy so I'm not surprised there's already some banter starting from that end ... (and) I don't mind all that. "I love leading the side. I love being captain. "I don't see any issues on why I can't be up to the challenge." Quick Single: India vow to match Australia's aggression Kohli has filled in for Dhoni in limited-overs contests, but is yet to do so in a Test. "I'm pretty confident of the ability the guys have. It's up to me how I handle them, how I handle different situations," he said. "As long as the team backs me and puts in the performances we want, I think I'm going to look good at the end of the day." Kohli was empathetic when asked about counterpart Michael Clarke's injury-dogged lead-up to the first Test. "I've heard about Michael Clarke's hamstring. I'm not in a position to comment on that because I don't know how serious it is," he said. "It's very unfortunate for a cricketer before a Test series to have that sort of an injury."

Stand-in skipper says India will seek to emulate Australia's brand of cricket India captain Virat Kohli says his side will emulate Australia's aggression, suggesting the mental battle could help decide the upcoming four-Test series. India landed in Adelaide on Saturday night, trained on Sunday and face a Cricket Australia XI on Monday and Tuesday. They start another two-day tour game in Adelaide on Friday before travelling to Brisbane to prepare for the first Test that starts the following Thursday (December 4). It may seem limited match practice for the visitors to become accustomed to local conditions but Kohli, stand-in skipper in the absence of MS Dhoni, backed his players to be ready and said mindset would be the focus of India's 18-man squad over the next week. "Pace and bounce is something you can get used to. But unless you're mentally there, there's no point of any sort of practice," Kohli said on Sunday. "They are good enough to tackle any sort of bowling in any conditions." Mitchell Johnson is an obvious potential source of mental demons for the visitors, having terrorised England a year ago and missed India's most recent Australian tour due to injury. "The guys in our team have the ability to do it ... I don't see any reason why we can't put up a good fight," Kohli said of facing the fearsome Australian left-armer. Kohli was one of few Indians to stand up in 2011-12, when Australia stormed to a 4-0 series win. His maiden Test century came in Adelaide, and the 26-year-old was fined for an offensive gesture to fans at the SCG in response to jibes on his only tour of Australia, when he also hit out at the hosts' sledging. "I'm certainly expecting it again," Kohli said with a smile. "I loved it. Once you perform in those conditions, the people love you here and they love a good fight. "We're here to play aggressive cricket, play the brand of cricket that Australia plays. "There's going to be more aggression this time around (from India)." Gliderol Stadium in the Adelaide suburb of Glenelg will be the visitors' first chance to show as much. Kohli said the whole squad would be available for the tour game starting on Monday apart from Dhoni. "Everyone's fit and doing fine," he said. "We're going to try a few more than 11 (in the tour game), that's the plan."

source : http://www.cricket.com.au/news/india-to-match-australian-aggression-in-test-series-virat-kohli/2014-11-23

[jf1gp_1]

Excess of anything is bad. Intially' date=' Dhoni was balanced, but got to negative over the years. He used to be aggressive when he wasnt captain but as his captaincy years passed, he kept changing in his approach, captaincy as well as batting. This show that every captain has a shelf life which Dhoni has passed.[/quote'] Honestly i dont blame him; hammered 4-0 in england fine one could argue they were a balanced side playing great cricket specially at home but then hammered 4-0 in aus; there was no way Dhoni the test captain could have recovered from it. He as it is was a safety first captain 8-0 ensured he would become a negative captain. You could see that in SA where we should have won the first test; absolutly no excuse how we almost lost a match we should have won with 2 sessions to go. Selectors or whoever is running the show should have removed Dhoni as captain upon our return from aus; fine you gave him another go but post losing to england at home there was no way he should have continued.

[Lord]

Kohli talking too much imo,hope he walks the talk :nervous:

[jf1gp_1]

Kohli talking too much imo' date='hope he walks the talk :nervous:[/quote'] yup reminds me of the whole sehwag episode where he called BD an ordinary side and we almost lost to them.

[Crookbond]

yup reminds me of the whole sehwag episode where he called BD an ordinary side and we almost lost to them.

Sehwag's quote on January 2010

“Bangladesh can surprise other teams in one-dayers but not in Test cricket. They are an ordinary side in Test. I don’t think they can beat us,” he told reporters. “It is not over-confidence but Bangladesh cannot take 20 Indian wickets, even Sri Lanka could not do it. It is difficult for Bangladesh to beat us,” he added.

India won the 1st Test by 110 runs and the 2nd by 10 wickets. In the 1st Test where you might argue "India almost lost", Bangladesh chasing 415 to win in the 2nd innings were 170-7. The last 3 wickets scored 131 runs. I don't see how we "almost lost to Bangladesh" after Sehwag said that BD were an ordinary Test side.

[jf1gp_1]

Sehwag's quote on January 2010 India won the 1st Test by 110 runs and the 2nd by 10 wickets. In the 1st Test where you might argue "India almost lost", Bangladesh chasing 415 to win in the 2nd innings were 170-7. The last 3 wickets scored 131 runs. I don't see how we "almost lost to Bangladesh" after Sehwag said that BD were an ordinary Test side.

unlike you i was going by memory and remembered reading some report on backfiring of sehwags comments. also australia in australia isnt BD in BD. I want my first time captain to be optimistically cautious. Now nothing wrong in what he said in the reported listed in this thread but i found the ruthless talk during SL series a bit over the top.