Virat Kohli shuts critics, says `at peace with how I am playing, don`t have anything to prove to anyone`

Ahead of the third Test against South Africa, Team India Test skipper Kohli said that he is not much concerned about his form and he doesn`t need to prove anything to anyone.

India Test skipper Virat Kohli on Monday said that he is not too much bothered about the 'outside noise' regarding his form and is just focused on doing the process right and sticking to his basics.

India and South Africa will lock horns in the third and final Test, beginning Tuesday at Cape Town. The series stands level at 1-1 and there is everything to play for in the series decider. A century has evaded Kohli for the past two years and his last ton in international cricket came back in 2019 against Bangladesh in a day-night Test.

"This is not the first time that people have talked about my form, it has happened a few times in my career. England in 2014 was one of those phases. I do not kind of look at myself from the lens the outside world looks at me with. The standards have been set by me myself, they are not an occurrence from the outside world, and more than anyone else, I take a lot of pride in doing the best for the team and wanting to perform for the team regularly," said Kohli during a virtual press conference.

"You have to understand that in sport, things do not go your way all the time but at the end of the day, I realise as a player I have been involved in key moments for the side and for me that is a matter of pride that I have been a part of partnerships when the team needed it. And eventually, those moments were crucial for us. Sometimes your focal point needs to shift," he added.

Kohli further said that he is not much concerned about numbers and he doesn’t need to prove anything to anyone.

"If all the times you look at yourself and judge yourself on the basis of numbers, I do not think you will ever be content with what you are doing. I take pride in the process I am following and I am at peace with how I am playing and what I have been able to do for the team when there has been a tricky scenario. I have nothing else to worry about but the reality of the situation is that you want to have an impact on the side. I do not think I have anything to prove to anyone."

Meanwhile, Kohli confirmed that he is ‘absolutely fit’ to play the third Test against South Africa which is scheduled to begin from January 11 in Cape Town.

However, the 33-year-old batter ruled out the participation of Mohammed Siraj. The pacer is not match-ready as he is still recovering from a hamstring injury which he had incurred during the second Test.

"I'm absolutely fit. Siraj is still recovering, I don't think he's match ready yet and I don't think we can take the risk of playing a pacer who isn't 110% fit," Kohli said during a press conference.