Just another game: Virat Kohli

"If we win, cricket will not stop and if we lose also, cricket won't stop. We are playing in quest of excellence and understand who we are as a team," the eloquent Indian captain added.

Southampton: India captain Virat Kohli on Thursday asserted that one Test match is not a “true reflection” of his team even if it happens to be the World Test Championship final against New Zealand here and he is treating it as “just another” game.

For the Indian captain and his team, the WTC final is like their Test debuts as young players trying to come up the ranks. “One game over five days. It’s not going to reflect anything and those who understand the game know and also what has gone over the period of last four to five years,” Kohli said on the eve of the big final against the Black Caps.

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“If we win, cricket will not stop and if we lose also, cricket won’t stop. We are playing in quest of excellence and understand who we are as a team,” the eloquent Indian captain added.

He was not forthcoming when a question on team combination was posed based on a previous answer that the team would select a composition “with all bases covered” regardless of the weather forecast of rain on opening day. “… A team with enough batting depth and bowling resources,” he said when asked if he would factor in the rain and overcast conditions.

He was also dismissive when asked if this was the biggest cricketing event of his illustrious career. “No,” pat came the reply. “This is just another Test match. All these things (WTC final) look good from the outside. One game can’t become a do-or-die game. It’s a great moment but cricket goes on just like life goes on.” “The occasion needs to be enjoyed and no more important than the first Test that we all played as young players trying to rise through the ranks.

“We need to have belief in our abilities and keep things simple. It’s a contest between bat and ball.”

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