Kohli: I always give 100 percent to the team

Cricket365
August 3, 2015

India captain Virat Kohli has not been in the best for this year, in any format, but says he's not going to change his aggressive style of batting to please critics, and is sure he'll return to form in Sri Lanka this month.

Kohli played with the India A side against Australia A in Chennai this week to get some match practice in, ahead of the three-match series against Sri Lanka. It will be his first full series as skipper since MS Dhoni's retirement in January.

Kohli told bcci.tv of changing his approach: "As a batsman I have always been responsible with the way I play my cricket and it comes from wanting to win the game for the team every time I play.

"So I don't think I need to change too much in that aspect. I think that is one of the major reasons that the board thought that I could be the man to take up responsibility for the team.

"It all boils down to how you play your cricket eventually and that's the way I have always played my cricket, be it on the field, be it the way I bat, I always give my 100 per cent.

"Putting in that extra effort in batting I don't think is required because I have always played in a responsible way for the team. And I will continue to that till the time I play for my country."

Of the trip to Sri Lanka, and the recent one-off Test against Bangladesh, he added: "It's basically my first full assignment as Test captain. In Bangladesh it was a one-odd Test match it wasn't a full-fledged series.

"So it will be a new challenge for me and the whole team because we have such a young squad and so many new players looking to build their careers.

"It is an exciting challenge to start together as a new unit. It is exciting for me and as a team. Everyone is very happy and putting in all the effort required to do well in Test cricket.

"I am certain if we prepare well and have the right kind of vision, we will do really well in Sri Lanka. I am confident about the whole team and also hope that I am able to do the job given by BCCI."