Virat Kohli is eagerly looking forward to the upcoming series against Sri Lanka which will be his first full-fledged series since taking charge as India’s Test captain.
The 26-year-old is confident his young squad will put up a good show in the series, which begins on August 12 with the first Test at Galle.
“It’s my first full assignment as Test captain. So it is a new challenge for me and the whole team because we have such a young squad and so many new players looking to build their careers,” he said. ‘
“It is an exciting challenge to start together as a new unit. It is exciting for me and as a team. Everyone is very happy and putting in all the effort required to do well in Test cricket.
Rahul Dravid has no issues with @imVkohli‘s aggression http://t.co/riIiYhusAu pic.twitter.com/a6dSu6FJqO
— HT Sports (@HTSportsNews) August 1, 2015
“I am certain if we prepare well and have the right kind of vision, we will do really well in Sri Lanka. I am confident about the whole team and also hope that I am able to do the job given by BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India),” he added.
Kohli has struggled since his brilliant display in the Test series in Australia early this year but he is unfazed about it.
He has not scored a century in the one-dayers since February, mustered just 14 in the one-off Test in Bangladesh two months ago and looked rusty turning out for India A game against Australia A earlier this week. He insists his lack of runs will not come in the way of his agg-ressive leadership.
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“As a batsman I have always been responsible with the way I play my cricket and it comes from wanting to win the game for the team every time I play.
“So I don’t think I need to change too much in that aspect. I think that is one of the major reasons that the board thought that I could be the man to take up responsibility for the team,” Kohli told bcci.tv.
I am the Test captain because I play with responsibility: Virat Kohli – http://t.co/GK6PNlgD5N pic.twitter.com/UnnwBKmFWq
— CricketNDTV (@CricketNDTV) August 1, 2015
“It all boils down to how you play your cricket eventually and that’s the way I have always played my cricket, be it on the field, be it the way I bat, I always give my 100 per cent.
“Putting in that extra effort in batting I don’t think is required because I have always played in a responsible way for the team. And I will continue to that till the time I play for my country,” he asserted.
