Off The Field

Can’t think of revenge because these guys are so nice: Kohli on World Cup loss

Written by Sumit Seth

Virat Kohli & Co. travel to New Zealand for their first away tour of 2020, fresh off a thumping win over Australia in the ODI series at home.
The last time India toured New Zealand for the limited-overs leg, they comprehensively beat the Black Caps 4-1 in the ODIs but suffered a 1-2 defeat in the T20 games, with the last match going right down to the wire.

Predictably the Indian camp is not taking their opponents lightly despite the Kiwis getting thrashed in their last series versus the Kangaroos.

“You have to play good cricket to win. know what they bring to the table while playing at home. We are not going to take them for granted. They know their conditions well, they understand how the pitches play, the angles off the field. They will have a slight home advantage. But we have also played here a lot. So we definitely have to be at our best.”

It was New Zealand who dumped India out of the 2019 World Cup with a thrilling win in Manchester. So does India have revenge on their mind?

“Not really. Even if you want to think of revenge these guys are so nice that you cant get into that zone. It’s all about being competitive on the field. They are one side that has set the right example for teams to carry themselves on the international stage. We were actually happy for them when they qualified for World Cup finals. When you have lost you have to look at the larger picture. So nothing about revenge.”

 

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Sumit Seth