Internet Desk: Virat Kohli led Indian Cricket team will start their tour in Sri Lanka with a two-day warm up game against Sri Lanka’s president XI at Moratuwa from tomorrow. Ahead of the game newly appointed India coach Ravi Shastri and skipper Virat Kohli met with the press today. For Sri Lanka, their limited overs skipper Upul Tharanga addressed the media in the absence Test captain Dinesh Chandimal.
Skipper Virat Kohli was remembering their last tour of Sri Lanka which was played in 2015. The Indian Cricket team bounced back in that series after losing the first test and won the series by 2-1. According to Virat the team started to believe on themselves after winning the series two years back.
“The last tour taught us how to get together as a unit. After losing that first Test at Galle we came together and this is where it all began for us as we went on to become the no 1 side in the world.
“There is a lot of hard work that goes into the preparations for a Test match or tour. You can’t just turn up for a series like this. Everyone in this team takes equal onus and responsibility for that and that is how professional this team is,” Kohli said while talking about his team preparations.
India’s newly appointed head coach Ravi Shastri said that his primary aim will be to keep the Indian team at the top of the ICC World Rankings.
“I came to Sri Lanka as an 18-year old kid as part of the U-19 team, my first stint as a broadcaster was here in 1992. My first stint as coach also happens to be in Sri Lanka. They have a great track record playing at home, it is one of the best teams at home home if not the best. We will not take them for granted and try to maintain consistency and remain no 1 in Tests. Above all we need to look to improve and learn new things,” the coach said.
Shastri further added that his job will be to help the cricketers perform at their top level and keep the dressing room happy.
“My role will be to get the players in a frame of mind that they go out there and play at their optimum level. It sounds like a simple task but lot goes on behind the scenes,” Shastri said.