We became more determined after change in WTC point system: Kohli ahead of final

SOUTHAMPTON: India skipper Virat Kohli on Thursday said his team became more hungry and determined after the points system of the inaugural World Test Championship was changed midway due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The game's governing body ICC had changed the qualification criteria for the World Test Championship from maximum points earned to percentage points earned from the matches contested after many scheduled series were cancelled due to the global health crisis.

"That gave us more determination and more clarity as to where we want to go and what we want to achieve, so looking back now, probably was a good thing that happened," Kohli said during the virtual press conference on eve of the World Test Championship final against New Zealand.

"There was no room for complacency, if we had qualified earlier maybe we would have relaxed a little-bit."

"But the situation allowed us to be more hungry and be more determined and know exactly what was going on at that moment and use that as a fueling bracket and motivation to keep moving forward regardless of whatever was going on in the outside."

India secured a historic 2-1 win over Australia in Australia and then claimed 3-1 victory against England at home in a four-Test series to seal their place in the final.

"Was it supposed to be a topsy-turvy ride to be honest?," the India captain asked.

"When you are sitting at home and the rules change suddenly, you get confused as to what happened, without anyone's control we did not miss or choose to miss any series through the course of this World Test Championship apart from the scheduling that wasn't done at all."

"We pretty much played everything that was presented to us and ya in our minds we had qualified way before things got complicated anyway."

So what changes would Kohli like to see in the World Test Championship cycle? "Firstly, not for the rules to change overnight," replied the 32-year-old Delhi-born batsman.

"That will be helpful if there is more clarity around what's happening and which direction we are heading into. Also, for teams who haven't played the series for some reason, to have some kind of ruling as to what happens after."

Kohli said the WTC has been a "very positive step in the right direction.

"Because you understand every series you are playing and competing for something and there is no room for complacency, there is no room for just playing out an easy draw.

"If you can go for the points, you will. It is a step in the right direction for Test cricket." 

For the Indian captain and his team, the WTC final is like their Test debuts as young players trying to come up the ranks.

"If you are deciding Test cricket on the basis of one game over a period of five days, that's not the reality or the truth. It's not going to reflect anything for people who understand the game and know what exactly has gone on in the last four to five years," Kohli said on the eve of the big final when asked if he is bothered by his team's record of losing key ICC games.

"If you look back at history and look at what has gone wrong on a given day, you realise you are only playing a sport. If we win this game, cricket doesn't stop for us and if we lose this game, cricket doesn't stop for us," Kohli, gave one of his signature, long and winding answer.

He was also dismissive when asked if this was the biggest cricketing event of his illustrious career.

"No," pat came the reply.

"This is just another Test match that has to be played. I think these things are very exciting from the outside where there is so much of importance and other extra stuff that's attached to one game and sort of becomes do or die."

"For us as a team, we have been on a quest of excellence for a while and will continue to be on that part regardless of what happens in that game. We have won the 2011 World Cup and cricket goes on just like life goes on."

You have to treat success and failure in the same way," the skipper was in a mood to take some inspiration from Rudyard Kipling's famous poem "If".

"It is an occasion that needs to be enjoyed but it is no more important for us than the first Test that we all played as young players trying to rise through the ranks."

The playing eleven picked for the final is on expected lines with both spinners Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja making the cut alongside the fast bowling trio of Jasprit Bumrah, Ishant Sharma and Mohammed Shami.

The in-form Rishabh Pant will come in at No 6 after the experienced trio of Cheteshwar Pujara, Kohli himself and his deputy Ajinkya Rahane.

"Weather doesn't change anything for us as a team. For us it is about covering all bases and take the strongest side we can on the park which gives us enough batting depth and bowling options as well."

"So we are quite clear in terms of what we want to do and we are not going to think too much about what might change. We have our bases covered," he said.

Asked what changed from the time this team lost to New Zealand in New Zealand, the skipper replied: "Well, we lost on a given day. This is not one day cricket or T20 cricket that finishes in an hour. This is a hard grind over a period of five days, something that we take a lot of pride in and great example of what you saw in Australia."

"Younger lot stood up against a very experienced and strong Australian side and we beat them in their backyard."

"So we understand the kind of cricket we have played to get here in the finals and we understand what we are as a team and who we are as a group of players."

Playing XI: Virat Kohli (captain), Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Rishabh Pant (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Jasprit Bumrah, Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Shami.