"We can't be taken lightly anymore" - Virat Kohli ahead of WTC Final

Virat Kohli believes Team India cannot be taken lightly ahead of the World Test Championship (WTC) Final. India will be up against Australia in the summit clash to be played at The Oval from Wednesday, June 7.

Speaking to Star Sports, Kohli stated that the rivalry between India and Australia has mellowed down a bit over the past few years. He believes one of the main reasons for that has been how India have performed Down Under.

The visitors won the Border-Gavaskar Trophy on Australian soil twice, in 2018-19 and then in 2020-21.

Here's what Virat Kohli had to say about the rivalry between the two teams:

"The rivalry between India and Australia, in the early days, used to be a lot [more] intense. There used to be a tense environment. But after we won two series in Australia, the rivalry has turned into respect.

"We can't be taken lightly as a Test team. We can see the respect the oppositions have for us. They expect us to give a close fight even in their conditions. We can't be taken lightly anymore."

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Virat Kohli on conditions at The Oval

Team India have not had a lot of time to prepare at The Oval for the WTC Final as the 2023 Indian Premier League season ended just about a week ago. However, Virat Kohli feels both teams need to adapt to the conditons at the neutral venue as soon as possible, making the final even more intriguing.

On this, Kohli stated:

"You can't expect a certain type of condition when you go out and bat at the Oval. There is a need to adapt and adjust quickly. It's only a one-off match for both teams. The team that adapts better will prevail.

"This is the beauty of WTC, there are two teams at a neutral venue. And the beauty of it is to see how the two teams adapt."

Kohli scored his 28th Test hundred the last time he faced Australia in Ahmedabad. Although the conditions at The Oval will be different, that knock will likely give the superstar batter plenty of confidence ahead of the big game.