PLAYING PAKISTAN NO BIG DEAL: VIRAT
KOHLI URGES TEAMMATES TO NOT GET EMOTIONAL
MUMBAI: Given that the ICC Champions Trophy is a tournament between the top eight limitedovers teams in the world, every match is expected to be keenly contested, but given the history and rivalry between India and Pakistan, it is the most keenly awaited clash.
India captain Virat Kohli, however, tried to play down the hype around the match, saying as players they approach it like any other game. “With all due respect, whatever else is going on as an issue, as a cricketer you cannot think what your partner is thinking, let alone thinking about what is happening, which is out of our control. It’s about playing the game that we love.”
POLITICAL TENSIONS
India-Pakistan matches always generate a massive hype and bring the players under pressure to somehow win. The two teams meet in their opening match of the tournament at Edgbaston on June 4 this time amid heightened political tension between the neighbours.
“Yes, an Indo-Pak game is always exciting. For people watching in the stadium, the game is different. If you ask players from both sides, it is like any other game.
“We prepare for it like it’s any other game. The atmosphere around the ground is different. But in our heads, playing against any other team, be it England, Australia, South Africa it is all the same,” said Kohli.
REIN IN EMOTIONS
The skipper told a media conference ahead of the team’s departure that it was all normal in the dressing room, with no special motivational talk at team meetings. “There is no need to talk anything different. There is no need to talk to anyone. It’s not the first time we are playing against them.
“There is no need to prepare differently for the game. We go about it the same way. There is no need to motivate players any differently. If you are playing for India, there is no need for any separate motivation. There is no need to be extra motivated against one particular side.
“Yes, you need to be passionate, but there is no need to get emotional. You need to play with the same kind of passion regardless of who you play against.”
Early in the media conference, Kohli was asked whether he thought India should be playing Pakistan at all in the current tense atmosphere between the two countries, but did not answer and the official anchoring the event moved to the next question.
The atmosphere around the ground is different. But in our heads, playing against any other team, be it England, Australia, South Africa it is all the same. On playing Pakistan It does not matter where you play; the aim is to win. People might say it is a question of life and death or redemption, but it’s not the case for me. On the Champions Trophy Ruthlessness is something we definitely speak about all the time. We go in with that mind set and that goes a long way in a tournament like this. On team strategy