Virat Kohli: I don't mind getting hurt, just don't want to get out

The 2014 tour of England is one that saw current India skipper Virat Kohli struggle against the swinging Dukes ball in English conditions With scores of 1 8 25 0 39 28 07 6 and 20 in the five Tests of that tour he averaged just 1350 in his ten innings However Kohli doesnt see the tour as a disappointmentIn the 2014 England tour it was basically about not adjusting to the conditions and doing things that I wanted to do and being rigid about it Being rigid about anything doesnt get you anywhere It was a long and painful realisation but I realised it said Kohli while speaking with Mayank Agarwal on the series Open Nets with Mayank hosted by bccitv2014 tour is always going to be a milestone in my career I really had to sit down and change things about how I approach the game before that tour the way I played the game and start being more fearlessI realised that in Test cricket when it gets tough to maintain your composure is the most difficult thing for a cricketer and that was something which I really needed to correctIf that tour hadnt happened I would have continued the same way I was and wouldnt have improved That tour made me think how I approach my international career and do I just want to be a pushover everytime I play Test cricket Thats a decision I had to make he addedKohli revealed that after that England tour where India were defeated 13 in the fiveTest series Ravi Shastri offered him a piece of advice which worked wonders for himRavi bhai called me and Shikhar to his room after the Test series in 2014 His understanding was very sharp He told me to stand outside the crease and explained the mindset behind it He also asked me if I was afraid of the short ball I said I wasnt afraid of the shortpitched balls I am not afraid to get hurt I just dont want to get out he saidI started practising that in Australia in the same year and the results were unbelievableThe 31yearold also had a chat with legendary batsman Sachin Tendulkar after the England tour and had few sessions as well with him in MumbaiAfter the England tour I looked at my footage I spoke to Sachin Tendulkar in Mumbai and had a few sessions with him I told him that I am working on my hip position and he made me realise the importance of a big stride the forward press against fast bowlers as wellOn his next tour of England in 2018 Kohli emerged as the leading runscorer with 593 runs including two hundreds and three halfcenturiesI never really paid attention to the perception of the people about me after 2014 Obviously it troubled me a little because all my credibility as a player went away in a month or so But then I stopped focussing on what people had to say about me Kohli saidI went into my zone and kept working on my game The great thing about 2018 was I went as a captain and a player I wanted to lead from the front and contribute to the team by scoring runsThats why I was nervous before the first Test in 2018 I wanted to start well It was not like that I performed bad in 2014 and now heres my chance of redemption in 2018 he addedDespite a brilliant batting performance from Kohli India went on to lose that series 14 However the Indian captain believes the tour boosted the confidence of the team which later on helped them win their maiden Test series in AustraliaWe werent too heartbroken about the England series in 2018 to be honest because we really competed well It was a tight and a confidence boosting series for usTalking about his Xfactor as a captain Kohli said I would not compromise on wanting a result in any situation A draw comes to me only and only if the situation has gone too bad or in the last hour when you dont have an option I will not think of a draw from the first minute in the morningFearing a loss is the most negative thing you can think of as a sportsperson and it causes self harm If you are surrendering before you can achieve a victory means you are causing harm to your own mindset My only aim is to make people realise how good they can be he signed offCatch up on all the latest sports news and updates hereAlso download the new midday Android and iOS apps to get latest updates MidDay is now on Telegram Click here to join our channel middayinfomedialtd and stay updated with the latest newsThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever