Virat Kohli will go for the win come what may: Ravi Ashwin

Virat Kohli has been under the scanner ever since he has been named as the unanimous captain of the India team. Although the 29-year old has tasted some great success as skipper, there has been constant talk about his behavior on the field given his fiery personality and in-your-face character. This attitude has seen him become one of the few Indian skippers who has been intimidating. While there are many lauded his character, some find it intimidating.

India’s ace off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin came in the support of Virat Kohli. He described him as a captain with a fierce winning mentality and said that his positive body language always rubbed on the other players. His energy is indeed infectious and has done the team a world of good by far as they are not only the number one Test team in the world but also the number one ODI side as well. Ashwin went on to add that Kohli is now on-par with the some of the greatest captains in the game.

‘There is no negative bone in Virat’s body’: Ashwin

Speaking to reporters shortly after Tamil Nadu’s opening match in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, “He (Kohli) is someone who will go for a win come what may. He does not have a negative bone in his body, he always talks about a win, never about saving situations, we’re always moving ahead. It is good because the players know what is required of them. It gives an amazing amount of intensity to the team.”

India lost the Test series against South Africa and Virat Kohli and his men have come under strict scrutiny. “This is his first series overseas as a full-time captain. I am sure all the best captains in the past too have a set of home games. He (Kohli) is already on par with most of the greatest captains that have played the game. It is best that we give credit to him,” Ashwin said talking of Kohli.

Ashwin believed that winning the toss in the first two Tests could have made a difference while adding that this series will certainly give Kohli a lot of impetus ahead of the tour to England. Ashwin also hailed the manner in which the team played in the final Test at Johannesburg and said India deserved to win.

In addition, the 29-year old was quite satisfied with his performance. He said that he achieved his targets although he would have loved to pick a few more wickets. “On a personal account, I would say I batted beautifully through the first two Test matches. If I had just held myself when the second new ball was taken I could have made a massive difference. I felt a little disappointment for that. But in general that was my role in the game, I had to counter-attack and I felt that way. As an individual who went into that series, whatever I wanted to achieve I did achieve. Probably a few wickets lesser than I would have ideally liked. A few dropped catches, which is part of the game,” he said.