India skipper Virat Kohli has revealed he no longer feels the urge to get into confrontations with opposition players.
Kohli and his men are set to take on Australia in a four-match Test series which gets underway on Thursday, and the spotlight is bound to be on the India skipper who has previous history with the opposition.
The 29-year-old has had run-ins with the likes of Brad Haddin and David Warner in previous tours of Australia, including 2014/15, but believes he is now in a completely different space as a player this time round.
“You learn from every series, every tour and every game that you play,” Kohli told Sydney-based Macquarie Sports Radio.
“I think from last time round, I’ve become more assured of myself. I don’t really find the need to prove anything to anyone.
“It’s all about doing what the team wants me to do and just giving my 100 per cent on the field. It’s a gradual process, as I don’t really feel anything different when I tour countries now. It’s more a process now.”
Kohli has had previous run-ins with Aussie players Down Under.
The right-hander comes into the series as the No1 ranked Test batsman in the world and he insists that his focus very much remains on the cricket ahead of what is a hotly anticipated series.
“In the early stages of my career, I used to think of these things as important milestones which are really important in one’s career. But the focus now is purely and solely on making the team win at any cost,” said Kohli.
“So, from last time around, I think I’m more assured of myself. I don’t find the need to get involved in anything with the opposition and I think those are changes that keep happening gradually as you go forward.”
Kohli was one of several Indian batsmen to register half centuries in the drawn tour game against a Cricket Australia XI in Sydney. His India team will now head to Adelaide which will be the setting for the series opener.