Can’t help if you make it a big deal: Kohli

WELLINGTON: Captain Virat Kohli had no qualms in admitting that India were outplayed by New Zealand in the opening Test but said they “can’t help it” if a few want to make a “big deal” out of one loss.

Hosts New Zealand thrashed India by 10 wickets at the Basin Reverse on Monday to go 1-0 ahead in the two-match series.

“We know we haven’t played well, but if people want to make a big deal out of it, make a mountain out of it, we can’t help it as we don’t think like that,” the India skipper said at the post-match media interaction.

This was India’s first defeat in the World Test Championship, coming after two inept batting efforts. “Some people might want it to be the end of the world but it’s not. For us, it’s a game of cricket we lost and we move on and keep our heads high,” Kohli said.

It is the acceptance of defeat that defines the character of a side, the world’s premier batsman said.

“We understand that we need to play well to win, also at home. There’s no cakewalk at international level as teams will come and beat you. You accept it and that defines our character as a side.”

If he had given credence to the “outside chatter”, he said the team wouldn’t have been where it is now. “That’s why we have been able to play this kind of cricket. If we would have paid attention to the outside chatter, we would again be at No. 7 or 8 in the rankings. We don’t really bother about what people are saying on the outside,” the skipper said.

One defeat can’t make a team, which has been winning games of Test cricket, “bad overnight”.

“If we have lost then we have no shame in accepting that. It means we didn’t play this game well. It doesn’t mean that we have become a bad team overnight. People might want to change our thoughts, but it doesn’t work like that.”

The self-belief is intact and Kohli was confident the team would come back stronger in the second Test, to be held in Christ