India doesn’t feel any complacency: Kohli
Image : BCCI
||CF Correspondent ||
India captain Virat Kohli said they won’t feel complacency despite being in a ruthless form and up against a team that has hardly any success in the longer version format.
While the series is predicted to be a mismatch following the gulf of difference between the two teams in terms of strength, culture and recent result, the team India, the No. 1 Test team keep their feet on the ground.
Kohli said that they are reluctant to take anything guaranteed, knowing well that Bangladesh could impose huge pressure on them and can be threatening.
“It’s pretty simple. We have to absolute respect for the game and in that process the opposition we play against are intent and respect towards that match or the game of cricket cannot change,” Kohli said.
“So we understand. And also it helps when you are with a group of young guys trying to take the team on top and then when you achieve it, you realise the importance of that journey and hard work. Very few people in the past, only a couple of guys have walked into the No. 1 team. All of us have been part of taking the team from the stage that we were in 2014-15 to No. 1 in Test cricket, he added.
“We all have a lot of respect and love for the process and that’s why we love playing Test cricket like the way we do. We understand how much effort each one of us has put to take the Indian team to No. 1 position over the 4-5 years. That’s one reason why we play the way we do because we just love playing.”
India has recently whitewashed South Africa in three-match Test series, with winning last two by an innings margin. Such was their authority over South Africa in every aspect of game that the cricket pundits are pessimistic about Bangladesh’s chance in the series.
But Kohli had differed, saying that unlike South Africa, Bangladesh are used to play in similar condition and so the threat will be altogether a different level.
“They are used to playing in similar conditions so we definitely think that they will know their game plan and what they need to do. We'll have to play well to get a result, like we have in the past,” Kohli said.
“We'll not take anyone lightly from Bangladesh. When they play well they can be a very skillful team and they have the ability to play some really good cricket. We'll have respect for them but more than that we'll have belief in our own team.”
