Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], February 9 (ANI): England’s winning start against India in the series has kept alive their chances of making it to the final ICC World Test Championship but Virat Kohli isn’t bothered about the points table as the skipper wants to focus on the things which the hosts can control like playing good cricket in the upcoming games.
Last year, the ICC had decided to change the point-rating system of WTC due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The WTC table has now been revised to rank teams based on the percentage of points earned from the series played, meaning teams are ranked in order of percentage of points earned.
Kohli wasn’t happy with the logic behind the change in the rating system. The Indian skipper said the team will go ahead with a similar mindset as nothing changes for the hosts despite England toppling India in the WTC points table.
“We will look at the upcoming games in the same way as we have looked up till now. Nothing changes for us, If suddenly the rules can change when you are in lockdown nothing is in your control at all. The only thing which is in your control is what you do on the field,” said Kohli while replying to a query from ANI during the virtual press conference.
“So you are not bothered about the table or the things which are going outside. For somethings, there is no logic for something you can have a debate for hours as much as you want. The only thing you can control as the side is playing good cricket and that’s our only focus regardless of who is on top of the table,” he added.
The victory at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Tuesday has lifted England to first place and 70.2 percentage points on the points table and they’ve improved their chances of securing one of the three series results in their favour that could see them through to the final – 3-1, 3-0 or 4-0.
Kohli said hosts’ focus will be on playing good cricket in the remaining three games and the Indian skipper isn’t looking at who is on the top of the WTC standings right now.
“Before this Test match you were not even thinking of England’s chances and suddenly you are talking about they are on top of the table. These things keep changing all the time. Our focus is only playing good cricket,” said Kohli while replying to a query from ANI.
New Zealand has already qualified for the final winning 70.0 per cent of their matches (with no other series scheduled) while India and Australia remain in contention for the other place along with England.
Meanwhile, India, who have slipped to the fourth position with 68.3 percentage points, cannot afford another loss in the four-match series and will be looking to win at least two of the remaining three matches to secure a 2-1 or 3-1 result and a place in the final.
Australia will get to feature in a Trans-Tasman summit clash if the India-England series is drawn or if England wins 1-0, 2-1, or 2-0.
Pakistan’s 2-0 home win over South Africa sees them finish the series in the fifth position with 43.3 percentage points, while South Africa slip to the sixth position with 30.0 percentage points. (ANI)