'I was treating a foreign tour like an engineering exam' - Virat Kohli reveals how his mindset changed after the 2014 England series

The 2014 England tour was one where Virat Kohli experienced one of the lowest phases of his career. The batting legend scored just 134 runs in the entire five-match series against England and was found wanting in England conditions.

And then, came that Australian tour in the same year, where Kohli turned around his fortunes in dramatic fashion, scored 4 centuries in the series, and lorded over the Australian bowling attack. The Indian captain stated that before the Australian series, he had treated every foreign tour like an engineering exam, and was trying to prove to people that he can play at the highest level.

The Indian skipper added that there came a time in his life where he realized that there was no one to help him, and so many people were going after him.

“To be honest before that Australia tour, I was treating every foreign tour like, more like an engineering exam, that I have to pass somehow and I have to show people that I can play at this level.

I realised that once you are down and out, there was hardly anyone who came to help me, there was hardly anyone who was looking towards me and saying listen let’s work together and you know try to get your game up to speed, everyone was just going after me left, right and centre,” said Kohli to Sky Sports.

I became fearless and things just started flowing: Virat Kohli

The batting legend added that he even called Sachin Tendulkar for help regarding his game and also to understand how to score runs at the highest level. Kohli added that he plays the game to make his team win, and he told himself that he was going to Australia to score runs against the kangaroos.

“I went into a bubble, I went to Bombay as well, I called Sachin Tendulkar, I asked for his help, I said I want to get my game right, I want to understand what it is like to score runs at this level, my mindset was simple.

If you don’t score it is not a point, you play this game to make your team win. So my mindset was I am going to go to Australia and how I am going to score runs against these guys,” said Kohli.

Kohli further added that he started visualising that he was smashing Mitchell Johnson and all the other Aussie bowlers out of the park. The batting legend concluded by stating that when he became totally fearless, things started flowing.

“I wasn’t going out there to survive, and from the time I got back home till the Australia tour, I promise you I was visualising everyday, when I was working out in the gym, that I am hitting Mitchell Johnson, I am hitting these guys all over the park.

Those things came to life eventually because I convinced myself to an extent, when I went there I was absolutely fearless and things just started flowing,” concluded Kohli.