Virat Kohli wants to win, he hates losing: Shane Watson

Former Australian all-rounder Shane Watson feels that there is no space for individual ideologies in Virat Kohli’s team. Watson, who has played alongside Kohli for the Royal Challengers Bangalore, seems to know the Indian captain from close.

“He expects everyone in his team to be exactly the same as him. Which is a great thing as a leader for him and for the Indian team, because he expects a lot of his teammates,” Watson told the Daily Telegraph.

He further went on to say that Kohli’s emotions are often misinterpreted as ‘temper’, whereas the 28-year-old just rides the highs and lows on the cricket field from an emotional perspective.

He then kept Kohli and his Australian counterpart Steve Smith on the same pedestal and said that both are similar in their hunger to win for the country. “He wants to win, he hates losing and as a captain that’s how he’s built. One of the things I absolutely love about Virat is he’s got such a deep down burning desire to win — and obviously he’s up to pushing the limits. It’s a great thing for his team because they just get behind him as well,” he added.

“They’re both ultra-competitive. Virat’s outwardly more emotional about how much he loves winning. Steve has that same burning ambition … he’s just not as visible as Virat. I think it’s two players who are the best in the world and in time they will be greats of international cricket,” he said.

Watson concluded saying that he is thoroughly enjoying the rivalry between two, hungry to win, young skippers. India will take on Australia for the third time in the 2017 Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Ranchi’s Jharkhand Cricket Association Stadium. The series is locked at 1-1 and the winner of the Third Test will take a lead in the series.