More comfortable with MS Dhoni than ever before: Virat Kohli

Virat Kohli (R) with his skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni

Reflecting on a number of things in an interview to BCCI.TV, India’s leading batsman Virat Kohli has said that he is now more than comfortable to go up to captain MS Dhoni and give his inputs if he feels there is something wrong with the way things are going on.

“It’s only recently that I have started to talk about what can be done on the field with MS Dhoni. As a captain it is difficult to notice everything that is going on in the field. So, if I feel something is wrong or it could be better, I feel I should convey it to the captain because he might not be focusing on it. It’s more about letting him know that this can be done as well.”

“And most of the times, especially now that I have played under him a lot, he appreciates it and is happy to take it on board because he knows I am only thinking well for the team, that I am a responsible member of the team and what I say has some logic. Also, now I am more comfortable going up to him and telling him what I feel. As a youngster you can’t do that because you’re yourself not sure if what you are thinking makes sense. Now it’s different.”

Kohli also said that he is trying to learn from what the two-time World Cup winner does on the field at the same time.

“Yes, I try to figure out why he (Dhoni) has done a certain thing. I try to see things from his perspective and understand his reasoning behind a decision. For me standing in the field is not just about waiting for the ball to come to me, field it and throw it back,” said the 25-year-old.

“For instance, I am standing at long-on, a leg spinner is bowling and the long-off fielder is standing a bit straight, I think why is he not standing wider, why is there a man at point and not at slip?

“If you can figure out how your captain thinks and why he is doing certain things in the field, you will be able to read what the opposition captain is planning against you as well. It adds so much to your game,” said the Indian Test No. 4, throwing light on how he approaches the game.

Being organised helps:

On how being organised helps one perform at his best, Kohli, citing World No.1 tennis player Rafael Nadal’s routine during his matches, said: “Look at Rafael Nadal for instance. During a game, he sits in his little corner in a chair and very carefully caps the water bottles and puts them in a certain way. People might find these things funny and brand them as superstations but these little things are important for us as sportspeople.”

“And it keeps on changing. For me today it might be about being organized. Tomorrow I would want to read something or listen to a particular song 10 times before I go in to bat. It could be any crazy thing that makes me feel good and takes me away from what I don’t want to think. It’s not that if my room is spick and span I will score a hundred. It’s just about trying to give yourself the best chance to succeed by doing the things that make you happy,” the star batsman, who represents Delhi in Ranji Trophy, added.

Dealing with critics:

On how he deals with the critics, Kohli, who is ranked World No. 2 in One Day Internationals, said: “Initially, you try to prove it to the critics that you’re good enough to play at this level. Now I don’t feel the need to prove anything to people. It’s not that I believe that I have achieved it all but because I’ve realized that it is not important to prove anything to others. It’s (more) important what I think of my performances and what I expect from myself.”

He said that he wants to be a step ahead and doesn’t need people to tell him what needs to be done. He feels he can manage on his own.

“Playing a Test series in England is a big thing in my mind and I don’t need people to tell me that he needs to score big runs in England and that this is the big test for him. I know that I want to score runs here and in every other country because I want to be the best.

“Cricket critics in our country are strange. You may have scored runs everywhere but if you don’t do that in one country or series, they start doubting if you’re good enough. They did that to the seniors as well during the fag end of their careers,” Virat pointed out how the seniors were targetted after the Australia tour in 2011-12, which eventually led to Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman’s exit.

“If you want someone to do well, you say positive things to and about them and not pull them down saying if they don’t prove themselves in certain conditions, they will remain flat-track bullies. I have stopped paying attention to them. When I get out, I’m the first one who feels about it,” the dashing batsman made a point.

On his preparations for the ultimate version of the game, the man with 6 Test centuries said that the shorter formats needs no mental planning.

“Yes. There is a lot of planning that goes in my Test batting, but ODIs and T20Is are more spontaneous and instinctive. I go in to bat, see the scoreboard, assess the situation and figure out what needs to be done. I don’t sit the previous day and think that if this target comes up, I’ll bat like this.

“Once you do what your mind tells you to do, you’re going to be on the right side of the result. So, it’s very important to be confident in what you think and take your partner into confidence as well. There’s no pre-planning in the shorter formats, only reacting to the situations as they come,” concluded Kohli, the vital cog in the Indian middle order.