India vs New Zealand: In accepting defeat, Virat Kohli outlines attitude and character of Team India

This was India’s first defeat for India in the ongoing ICC World Test Championship and the skipper wants his side to learn from the mistakes and move ahead to take on the challenges at hand.

India’s batsmen will not resort to a defensive mindset despite the capitulation in Wellington in the first India vs New Zealand match. As per captain Virat Kohli, the batsmen need to be positive in order to take New Zealand off their bowling plans. India were sent packing for 165 and 191 in the first test at the Basin Reserve, with opener Mayank Agarwal the only player to pass 50 in either innings.

Indian captain Virat Kohli (REUTERS)

“I don’t think a cautious approach ever pays off, especially away from home,” Kohli said after the loss. “We will definitely be much more positive.

“We will try and put their bowlers under pressure and try and make them do something different rather than them making us do something different,” he further added.

This was India’s first defeat for India in the ongoing ICC World Test Championship and the skipper wants his side to learn from the mistakes and move ahead to take on the challenges at hand. “We have the belief that we can win. But if there is a defeat in the interim, it doesn’t mean the belief will go away,” he said.

“There’s no cakewalk or easy games at the international level. Teams will come out and beat you, you have to accept it and that defines your character as a side.”

The captain sounded confident that being positive is the only template which has worked for the side and hence, they will not try any other approach even after this defeat.

“We are not going to play in any other fashion,” he said.

“Whatever it requires us to do as a batting unit, a bowling unit and a fielding unit to be able to do that, we are definitely going to come out and do that. We are not bothered about another loss but we are not going to take a backward step, that’s for sure,” he said.