Virat Kohli says verbal spats on the field motivate the intensity of the side

The Indian cricket team registered a magnificent 151-run victory against England at the iconic Lord’s venue in what was a thrilling final day of Test cricket. Tempers flared going into the final day of the Test as Jasprit Bumrah bowled a barrage of bouncers and short-pitched deliveries towards England’s veteran pace bowler James Anderson.

Unnerved by the length of the deliveries, Anderson and Bumrah exchanged words quite often. That led to intense sledging between the two sides which was often picked up on the camera. In a recent media interaction, Kohli mentioned that the on-field banter was good for the intensity of his side and it motivated them to push themselves even further.

“I can’t give you details of the words that was spoken. It was for camera and stump mike to pick that up for both teams. And then we analysed. What’s done in the moment, give you extra motivation obviously to get together as a team more strongly,” Kohli said during the virtual presser on the eve of third Test.

“When you play competitive sport these things happen but it’s what you do after that situation or how you get up from that situation is what matters. For us this is fresh beginning, it’s another opportunity to show what we can do as a team,” he added.

Kohli refused to discuss the implications of history if his side manages to win in England. They will take on the visitors in the third Test at the Headingley Stadium in Leeds. The last time these two sides collided at this venue, India ended up winning by an innings.

“I don’t think about history much. For us as team, taking better decision wherever we play is all that matters. To keep remembering something or running after something, we don’t do that. We know what our processes are and we follow that.

“History does not guarantee you anything. If you have not won somewhere that does not mean you will not win there and if you have won somewhere that does not mean you can’t lose there. It all depends on the present mindset.”

Meanwhile, former England captain Nasser Hussain lauded the partnership between Virat Kohli and head coach Ravi Shastri suggesting that they both don’t back down from channeling the aggression into cricket. Shastri won’t get in Virat’s way if he wants to give it back to the opposition.

“Ravi Shastri, as a coach, will just let Kohli go. He won’t mind seeing him exchanging words with Anderson or signalling from the balcony to try to get the players off for bad light. It is the captain who is very much in charge,” Hussain wrote in his column for the Daily Mail ahead of the third Test at Headingley which begins on Wednesday.