There is a sense of positivity around this Indian team. After all, this team has been in rich vein of T20 form after having won the last three T20I series. And, with the ICC World T20 being played at home, India not surprisingly are termed favorites for the big event. India batsman Virat Kohli was comfortable with the favorites tag. “If you know your home conditions well and you are playing good cricket, then obviously people will expect that you will go far in the tournament. We are obviously favourites in our own minds – if we aren’t then there is no chance of progressing in the tournament,” Kohli said ahead of the team’s first match against New Zealand in Nagpur.
“The important thing is to focus on every game, because in this tournament if your focus wavers, the game moves so quickly that making comebacks becomes very difficult, as a batsman, as a bowler or as a team, all three. In this tournament, coming back from a poor phase is very difficult, so it’s imperative that you start on the right note, on a positive note, and maintain the momentum that we have built up over the last 11-12 matches. We have been able to perform so consistently because we have not thought too far ahead. We have looked to execute our skills in every game, and that’s why we have got results, and we will try not to do anything too different in this tournament, and not look at this tournament in a very different way. That will be our strength.”
Elaborating further on India’s recent T20 success and the challenges ahead, Kohli said, “We are very confident with the way we have been playing. We have won 10 out of 11 last games we have played, taking some good momentum in to the World Cup. The Asia Cup was a good preparation for us for a big tournament; getting the feel of playing against the big teams. But this is going to be far more challenging because you have teams from all over the world competing here. If you look at both the groups, the teams are very strong and they are evenly matched. It’s going to be tough but we would like to focus on our strengths. It’s more to do with how we have played and continue the same way and probably try and execute the same things that have brought us so much success.”
India last hosted a world event back in 2011 - the 50-over World Cup - wherein they emerged champions with big names like Sachin Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag in the team. Four years back, Kohli was still finding his groove, making his mark but was brushing shoulders with the best in the business. Now, Kohli has matured and there are other youngsters who will be playing a huge event where all eyes will be on them. Butterflies in the stomach for the youngsters one would reckon? “Obviously there is an excitement that you are going to a big tournament, and the world is going to watch, and the entire country is going to follow you. I view this as an opportunity, that as a cricket you have to take everything as a challenge,” he said.
“I was quite anxious during the 2011 World Cup to prove myself and establish myself. I think our youngsters now, whether it is Hardik Pandya or Jasprit Bumrah, also have that anxiety in them, but they also have a lot more confidence compared to us [senior players], when we came into the team, because they have played so much T20 cricket in the IPL, and played with big stars. I think in this format, their preparation and mental set-up is very different to mine, probably, when I came into the team. We didn’t have this much exposure of playing with big players, or of having to perform at this level. These people have played IPL finals, performed in different situations. So I think they have brought that confidence here, which is a very good thing. They have not paid that much attention to who is in the opposition, who I am bowling to or batting against. They have backed their skills, which they also do in the IPL, and that has been an X-factor for our team in the last few series. Hopefully, if they keep performing the way they have been, [it will keep giving us] the balance that they have given us in the last few series.
