Virat Kohli will return to lead Team India in the first T20I against Australia
Virat Kohli is back to lead India again and he means business as India and Australia get ready to lock horns in a limited-overs series, starting on Sunday.
Kohli, who took a break after the third ODI against New Zealand, returned to the side for the two T20Is and five ODIs against the Aussies as India look to wrap up their preparation for the World Cup, which starts on May 30 in England and Wales.
On Sunday, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) took to Twitter to share a video of the Indian captain, who was seen batting in the nets.
The 30-year-old looked in fluent touch and was clobbering ball as he got ready to take the field in Visakhapatnam for the first T20I.
BCCI also took to Twitter to show how India prepared for the first T20I of the two-match series a day before and Mahendra Singh Dhoni was seen batting in the nets and timing the ball sweetly.
Apart from Dhoni, Jasprit Bumrah, Vijay Shankar, Umesh Yadav, Rishabh Pant and Yuzvendra Chahal were also seen having a good time in the camp.
This will be India's last international assignment before the World Cup as the players are all set to depart for the Indian Premier League, which starts on March 23 in Chennai.
And, ahead of the game, Kohli asked his players to not pick bad habits during the one-and-half-month long tournament.
"They have to make sure that their games don't go (drift) too much away from the one-day mould of things. That means we will have to be very wary of the bad habits that might creep in during the IPL," Kohli told reporters ahead of their first T20I against Australia.
The national team's interest has always been paramount for Kohli and accordingly, he also wants his teammates to make that effort during IPL.
"That (not picking up bad habit) will take a consistent effort from all the players during the IPL to keep a check on that. The moment you enter the nets and create bad habits, you lose the momentum and you lose batting form. It is very difficult to get it back in a tournament like the World Cup," Kohli warned his teammates about te innovative shots that are in vogue during the league.
For Kohli, the most important thing is lifting the World Cup and he asked his players to take care of themselves during the hectic schedule of the IPL.
"The amount you practice, with the amount of travel during the IPL and the number of games in different conditions, in different temperatures, it is going to be challenging, to be honest," Kohli said.
"As a cricketer, you have to map out how many practice sessions you really need. If you are hitting the ball well, there is no need to go to a practice session and tire yourself out for three hours whereas you can utilise that particular phase to rest and recover even more," said Kohli, who will be donning Royal Challengers Bangalore jersey for the 12th year.
For Kohli, he is ready to walk the talk when he leads RCB in the IPL.
"I would look to continue in the same way that I have in all formats over the years and not do anything fancy. The frame of mind is the most important thing getting into the World Cup, and we need 15 people who are confident and mentally happy."
