Dropped from the Indian squad for the World Twenty20 in the West Indies, Virat Kohli refuses to wallow in self-pity. The 21-year-old, who two years ago led India to victory in the under-19 World Cup, has become a regular member of the Indian middle order in ODIs but a permanent slot in the Twenty20 team has remained elusive.
“I was expecting that I would probably be there because I have done well in ODIs but it's a matter of how the selectors look at it and I think that the team which has been selected is really good. It's unfortunate that I haven't got a chance to play up the order in the IPL (with the Royal Challengers Bangalore) because if I had done that, I probably would have scored more but our top order is playing very well and it's a good thing that the team is winning,” Kohli said.
Incidentally Kohli has scored 97 runs from five innings in the current IPL so far while the trio of Jacques Kallis, Manish Pandey and Robin Uthappa, has scored the maximum.
Kohli, with 847 runs and two ODI hundred in his kitty, says that he has evolved as a batsman and as an individual. “During the first IPL, I was probably a spoilt kid and now I realise the importance of coming back into the Indian team. Having got a chance, done well and then being left out again, I realise the importance of getting back and working hard. I have matured in the last two years. I haven't done anything technically but I have taught myself to be mentally strong,” Kohli said.
He expressed his gratitude to RCB coach Ray Jennings's earlier comments that the Delhi lad could be the team's future captain.
