'There’s a lot of hype created but it's just a game of cricket for us' - Virat Kohli on India-Pakistan T20 WC clash

Indian skipper Virat Kohli stated that he approaches India-Pakistan clashes “just like another game of cricket”. India is going to start their T20 World Cup campaign against Pakistan on October 24. Owing to the political tensions between the two nations, the iconic rivalry has now reduced to only ICC events, with their last bilateral event dating back to 2012.

However, for Kohli, all the hype is on the outside amongst the fans, whereas the Indian team approaches the contest as they do against any other team. The skipper also revealed how he has been denying his friends who have been asking him for the tickets of the high-octane clash, which as per his belief are “ridiculously” high-priced.

“I can talk from personal experience. I have honestly never felt so. I have always approached this game as just another game of cricket. I know there’s a lot of hype created around this game, more so with ticket sales and the demands of tickets and right now, the value of those tickets are ridiculously high. That’s all I know,” Kohli said.

“My friends asking me whether there are tickets left, right and centre, and me saying no. It’s probably the only change that I experience from any other game. Apart from that, we make anything extra out of this game.

“For us, it’s a game of cricket that has to be played in the right way, in the way we know we can. Yes, the environment is different on the outside from the fan’s perspective, it’s definitely louder, definitely more excitement in the air. But apart from that, from the players’ point of view, we stay as professional as we can and always approach this game in the most normal way possible,” he added.

Kohli also spoke on having MS Dhoni as the Indian team’s mentor and admitted that the latter’s presence will be a massive boost.

“His eye for intricate details and practical advice will help improve the game by one or two per cent. Absolutely delighted to have him… His presence will not only boost morale but also increase the confidence that we already have,” he said.