Australia tour about batsmen batting well, bowlers already in great space: Virat Kohli

Indian cricket team captain Virat Kohli has asked the batsmen to really "step up" their game ahead of their upcoming Australia tour adding that the bowlers, on the other hand, are in a "great space" at the moment.

Further praising the bowlers, Kohli stated that after a long gap the team is well equipped with a bowling attack which is capable of picking twenty wickets in a Test match.

Speaking in a press conference, Kohli said, "In Australian conditions, it is about patience and maintaining the pace throughout the day. That's where teams like South Africa have done well. Morkel, Kallis, Steyn and now Rabada- these guys have relentlessly bowled in the right areas to get those wickets for their team. I definitely believe that our guys are good enough to do similar kind of job. We are feeling good that we have a great bowling attack now. But the batsmen need to step up as well."

"Our focus will be more on how batsmen bat well together on this tour because bowlers are in great space. They know exactly what they want to do. After a long time, we feel like we can pick up 20 wickets in every game. But whole combination has to come together to win series not just one Test match and feel happy about it," he added.

The right-hand batsman also emphasised on the importance of individual performance saying that the team goals could be achieved only if players work on things at their own level.

"We understand within the group what we need to work on. It is up to the individuals to take the responsibility. Team goals can only be achieved when individuals go and work on those things," he said.

"Rather than winning moments and games, we need to strike a balance when the situation is against us, figuring out how to control it better, and how to find a way out of it rather than wanting to get out of it immediately. We really need to tighten things up in Test cricket," Kohli added.

Speaking about his own aggressive nature on the field, Kohli admitted that he used to resort to some "immature things" during the early days of his career to get pumped up. "However, after being appointed as the captain of the national team, you literally have no room for anything else but to think of what the team want all the time. So you don't find the need for such things at all," he continued.

"I have been completely okay playing without any altercation. I am very happy within my own space. On personal level, I don't find the need to find these things anymore. I have enough believe in my abilities that I could play without a reason to pump myself up. Those were very immature things that I used to feed on in the early days of my career," Kohli added.

Meanwhile, Indian head coach Ravi Shastri, while talking about the team combination for the upcoming cricket World Cup, said that they would try and play the best team to avoid any sort of "cutting" and "chopping" before the major event.

India and Australia are slated to play three T20 internationals, four Test matches, and three ODI from November 21 to January 18.

-ANI