For captain Virat Kohli, it's about winning, not milestones

Virat Kohli. Pic/AFP

Sometimes setting high standards may prove detrimental as there is no limit to expectations.

It's been 11 innings since India's run-machine Virat Kohli has not scored a century in Test cricket. His last three-figure mark (139) came in 2019, against Bangladesh in India's first day-night Test match at the Eden Gardens. Kohli's definitely not out of form considering he has scored three half centuries - two against England in the ongoing series and one against Australia in the opening Test at Adelaide - before going on a paternity break.

That's unusual

However, being stranded on 27 centuries for over a year is unusual by Kohli's standards given his knack of converting starts into big scores.

When mid-day asked if a big score can be expected from him in the fourth Test against England, beginning today at the Narendra Modi Stadium here, Kohli's reply was a firm "no".

"I am not in any haste or desperation because I understand where I stand as a batsman, how I stand and where my responsibility in the team is," he said on Wednesday.

The fourth Test is an ideal opportunity for Kohli to surpass Australian great Ricky Ponting for most tons as captain - both are on 41 centuries across all formats.

It's all about winning

Kohli is not thinking about the potential records he can break in the fourth Test. "People look at things from a very different point of view, they look at milestones. If the team doesn't do well, they look at captaincy. If the team does well and the batsmen don't perform, they look at individual scores. So, for me, these are just issues oscillating between one and other.

"My responsibility as captain of the Indian cricket team and as a batsman is to score runs and make sure that I keep pushing the team forward, get involved in partnerships. Along that way, if milestones happen, great. If not, the team should win. At the end of the day, that's our main goal and it will always remain that,"
Kohli said.