India vs England: Virat Kohli places emphasis on team performance over individual glory

India captain Virat Kohli appears unfazed by the loss in the first Test against England in Edgbaston and said the team was committed to playing with passion under any conditions.

Speaking at a reception held at the residence of Indian high commissioner Y K Sinha in Kensington Palace Gardens on Tuesday, Kohli said the team always strove to give their best, and hoped fans would continue to support them.

“We play with passion and always try to give our best. It is not about individuals but the entire team”, Kohli said. He was accompanied by the team, his wife, Anushka Sharma, and the team management that included the head coach, Ravi Shastri.

Sinha paid tributes to the achievements of Kohli and the team, and recalled that India nearly won the Edgbaston Test, when England won by 31 runs. Kohli scored 149 and 51 to emerge as the top scorer for India in both innings.

The next Test begins at Lord’s on Thursday.

The reception was attended by former cricketers such as Farokh Engineer, Dilip Doshi and Kumar Sangakkara of Sri Lanka.

The gathering also included leading members of the Indian community, such as industrialist Swraj Paul, senior Labour MP Virendra Sharma and Conservative MP Priti Patel and novelist Jeffrey Archer among others.

First Published: Aug 08, 2018 15:48 IST