Not quite convinced about the idea of counting the positives after a lost match, India’s new Test captain Virat Kohli on Sunday said the team's days of learning were over and they would be solely focussed on delivering results.
Addressing a pre-departure press conference here ahead of the tour of Bangladesh, which starts with a one-off Test from June 10, Kohli said his focus was on results.
“We have learnt a lot, I don’t think we need to play with a mindset of playing to learn. Obviously, we learn about the game all the time, even when we are watching it on TV. But we have played long enough now, we know what we want to achieve as a unit. So, we really want to achieve rather than go out of a match thinking what we have learnt from it,” Kohli said when asked about his expectations from the team.
Insisting that the team is in good shape for the Bangladesh tour, which will also have three ODIs, Kohli said fitness is a prime concern to ensure that his side keeps a steady look.
“The team is looking in good shape. We conducted a fitness test yesterday [Saturday] because we feel that fitness is one area where we need to strengthen [ourselves],” he said.
“Everyone is really excited for a fresh beginning. I am certainly excited about leading the team,” he added.
On his own expectations from the short tour, Kohli said he is looking forward to strategise for the gruelling Test format.
“I have captained teams before. At a certain level, you learn while doing the job. Tests are a different ball game compared to ODIs or T20s because you have to strategise for a whole day in one go,” he said.
“I have learnt a lot while captaining in Australia. The team’s skills are good and I am looking to continue with the consistency. It’s all about how you improve on your mistakes,” he added, referring to his stint Down Under when he took over captaincy after the shock retirement of Mahendra Singh Dhoni from the format.
