India treat match against Pakistan like any other game, says Virat Kohli

Virat Kohli acknowledged the significance of the India-Pakistan clash in the ICC Champions Trophy but said the players can’t afford to get carried away by the hype outside the ground.

Skipper Virat Kohli has played down India’s high-voltage ICC Champions Trophy opener against Pakistan as just another game of cricket, pointing out that it’s always exciting for the fans but nothing changes for the team and they treat it as a normal game. (ICC CHAMPIONS TROPHY FULL SCHEDULE)

Virat Kohli-led India will begin their ICC Champions Trophy campaign against Pakistan at Edgbaston, Birmingham on June 4. (Getty Images)

“Yes. it’s always very exciting for the fans but in our heads nothing changes, it’s just a game of cricket. Can’t control the hype around it,” Kohli told a media conference in Mumbai before the defending champions leave for UK.

Kohli praised seniors Yuvraj Singh and MS Dhoni and said their form would hold the key to India’s chances of successfully defending the title.

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“Those two know best how to get the team out of difficult situations. They enjoyed batting with each other and played freely without any burden (vs England).

“That confidence rubs off on the team, the team environment was boosted. If two such good players do well, the team environment is automatically boosted.”

The India skipper also said he was not seeking any “redemption” after he struggled during the 2014 Test tour of England.

“I never play for any redemption. The aim is to win games. In my head I don’t think of those things,” he said when asked if he saw the Champions Trophy as a chance to redeem his reputation after the 2014 failures.

The ICC Champions Trophy begins on June 1 with hosts England taking on Bangladesh in the first game. India begin their campaign against Pakistan at Edgbaston, Birmingham on June 4.