India captain Virat Kohli, on Saturday, admitted that he was surprised to see hosts England’s struggles on the eve of their much-awaited World Cup clash in Birmingham. The two-time champions are unbeaten so far and a win on Sunday will see them enter the last-four.
England now find themselves playing two must-win games – against India and New Zealand – to confirm a place in the semi-finals. They were picked out as one of the tournament favourites but back-to-back defeats against Sri Lanka and Australia has seen pressure mount on them.
“Everyone is a bit surprised. We thought England were going to dominate in their own conditions,” Kohli said at the pre-match press conference.
Kohli also unveiled India’s ‘away’ orange and blue jersey, which they will be wearing against England. When asked how he deals with pressure, the 30-year-old stressed the need on keeping it simple and not getting swayed by emotion during high-pressure games.
“As I have said before pressure is a massive factor, low scores have got to be defended. That was because I have played in two World Cups. Anyone can beat anyone. We got a scare against Afghanistan the other day. You can’t take anything for granted,” Kohli said.
He added, “Other teams have outplayed England on occasions, that can happen to any side. England have to sort out their own issues, I guess. The more basic you can keep things at a tournament like a World Cup, the better. The more you attach emotion or excitement to it the more you put too much pressure on a situation.”
Speaking about pressure, Kohli said that he relishes dealing with his inner demons while walking out to bat. The India captain has been in fine form so far despite not hitting a century. He scored half-centuries against Australia, Pakistan, Afghanistan and West Indies.
Kohli said: “It would be a lie if I said I am not under pressure [when I come out to bat]. I am probably good at hiding it. Everyone feels pressure and butterflies in their stomach. I am glad I feel like that, if I didn’t I would probably not have enough motivation to play any more. It’s not about what you have done before, it is about that particular day.
“Maybe that’s why my body language is the way it is. Everyone feels pressure, it’s just the way you portray it to the opposition is what makes all the difference.”