In-form Kohli says can’t take his place for granted

NEW DELHI - Virat Kohli has forced his way into the top order of the Indian batting, pushing stronger candidates out on the back of his roaring form this season. The Delhi youngster wants to carry on in the same vein in South Africa and then into the 2011 World Cup in the sub-continent.

The 22-year-old has had a phenomenal run this season, hitting back-to-back One-day International (ODI) hundreds against Australia and New Zealand at home, taking his total century count to four in two years of his international career. Kohli, who has become an important cog in the Indian batting side, insists he still has a lot to learn and has to continue to be consistent.

“It has been a good year for me. It began with the series against Bangladesh and then luckily I was able to carry my form against Zimbabwe, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand,” Kohli told IANS on the eve of Delhi’s last Ranji Trophy league game against Mumbai.

“I have been working hard with coach Gary Kirsten and mental conditioning coach Paddy Upton, the two really helped me. It was just a matter of scoring in one game and with a little luck, too.”

The former India under-19 World Cup winning captain said the series in South Africa will be a challenging one.

“It will be a battle between two competitive sides. We hope to finish the year on a high staying No. 1 Test team. The pitches are going to be very different and will have bounce. The tracks are very different from the ones we have in India. But the team has left early for South Africa and hopefully we will adjust by the time the first Test begins Thursday,” said Kohli who is in the ODI squad for the five-match series.

“I have played on the bouncy tracks in Australia during the 2009 Emerging Players Tournament, though we cannot compare the two tracks, I feel confident of taking up the challenge in the ODI series,” he said.

Kohli impressed the critics with his performance during the five-match ODI series against New Zealand, especially former Pakistan captain Wasim Akram who went on to say that he could be the future India captain.

“I have heard the compliment and I am humbled by it,” he smiles. “Frankly, I am at the beginning of my career and now I am focussed only on scoring big runs every time I go out to bat. It’s not to prove that I can do it if given a chance, it is only because I know the importance of scoring and know that it will only do good to my confidence.”

While his performance has almost cemented his place in the One-day side, he knows he cannot take his place for granted what with talented Rohit Sharma, Saurabh Tiwary and Yusuf Pathan and experienced Yuvraj Singh breathing down his neck.

He, however, says there is a healthy rivalry among the contenders.

“I enjoy competing and playing under pressure. It is only healthy competition among us. I will feel for Rohit if he sits out and vice-versa. We back each other. It’s just that I have been lucky to bat at No.3 position which allowed me to score runs,” he said.

Kohli’s immediate concern is to shore up Delhi in the do-or-die battle against Mumbai for a place in the Ranji Trophy quarterfinal.

He says domestic cricket has helped him in a big way in building up all those big innings at international level.

“I have increasingly come to realise the importance of playing in domestic cricket. Match-play is more important than having a knock in the nets. The form can fall and rise when you practice but nothing can beat playing in a match situation. The runs you score give you the confidence and also keep your rhythm going. I have always made it a point to return to Ranji the moment I am free from my national duty,” he said.