Kohli oozes calm
It is always a pleasure to attend a Virat Kohli press briefing. He is not only a spectator's delight with the bat but also an articulate speaker to a captivated audience.
Having already scored 8000 ODI runs at an average over 50, the top batsman in the world said that self belief was the key to his success.
"I have never believed in watching videos of anyone in the opposition camp. I prepare the best way I can. I believe in my abilities. I feel like I'm good enough technically that I can counter any bowler. I like to go by what I see. It doesn't really matter whether you have played them before or not," the Indian captain said yesterday.
Kohli is not only a complete modern cricketer, his clarity of thinking and execution out in the middle is also amazing. He said pressure is something self-destructive and thinking about that in a big match situation is counter-productive.
"We haven't spoken about this game any differently. We have practiced the same way we practiced for the first game of the tournament. Even today's [Saturday's] practice was absolutely similar, not any drop of intensity or something extra. The more relaxed you are in this kind of situation, the more it helps to take better decisions when you are calm and play," he observed ahead of the final.
The biggest performer in a big match situation also believes that a positive mindset is the key to his success.
"After you reach this stage of this kind of tournament, you can't work on your technique. It's all about how you think about the game and how you prepare. You have to believe in yourself no matter what. The ability to think otherwise in a difficult situation sets you apart and helps pull the team through. That's something I visualize and work on," said an assertive Kohli.
He also does not want to leave any grey areas when it comes to rooting for a teammate and said that he and the team would be backing Hardik Pandya in the final.
His observation about Pakistan was also pragmatic.
"I don't see any relevance of the first game here. Some teams start very confidently and then they fade away. Some teams might not have the best start but come back strongly, which Pakistan have done. Everyone knows they are a very talented team and they can beat anyone on their day. But at the same time we are neither too intimidated nor too arrogant. It's important to maintain a balance," he added.
Asked about the most important thing to avoid as a player, Kohli responded: "Biggest learning is to stay away from social media. Honestly, it may sound funny. But it's so important to stay away from those things. It's tough but you have to make that sort of effort to stay in your zone, in good mind."