Faf du Plessis hails "relentless" Kohli and his "hunger for runs" after India hammer South Africa in second Test to seal series
Sunday 13 October 2019 17:05, UK
Virat Kohli says a change in mindset since becoming India captain is the reason for his superb batting form.
Kohli has scored each of his Indian-record seven Test double centuries - the latest of which came against South Africa on Friday and teed up a thumping, series-sealing win - in a little over three years.
The 30-year-old moved onto 7,054 Test runs during his career-best unbeaten 254 in Pune, taking his average to 55.10.
"It's getting the responsibility of being captain," Kohli said after being named man of the match in India's innings-and-137-run win over the Proteas.
"If you go out planning a double hundred you will not get it but if you just go out planning to play five sessions for your team you invariably cross that 200 mark as well.
"The mindset is always to help the team as much as possible, play at a tempo the team requires you to and in that process big scores come. The mindset change is the only reason behind getting the big scores."
"I am at a stage in my career now where I am just happy to be playing the way I am and contributing for my team," added Kohli, who has captained India to 30 victories in his 50 Tests at the helm.
"Putting the team in a commanding position is the only goal and that's the only thing I strive for. I love scoring runs but if they come in a winning cause that's the most important thing."
South Africa captain Faf du Plessis hailed Kohli's "relentlessness" after he completed his 26th Test hundred - but lamented his own side's struggles as they tumbled two down in the series with one match to play after being dismissed for 275 and 189 following India's 601-5 declared.
"As a captain you are trying to think of ways, how you can change little field placements, bowlers but he was too good," Du Plessis said of Kohli.
"All the questions and all the stuff that we threw at him, he had answers for. It's just relentless, for me what stuck out was the hunger for runs.
"He was determined to score big and it's great value for us as batters. When you are on top of your game, making sure you are really hungry and making sure you put in big performances.
"The way India batted, especially Virat, takes a lot of mental toughness. Spending two days in the field got us down.
"The batsmen were weak on mindset for fielding so long. We saw that in the first Test as well," added Du Plessis, whose side were crushed by 203 runs in the series opener in Visakhapatnam last week.
