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[huma]

NEW DELHI: Virat Kohli came of age in South Africa. He always had the talent to make it big but there was this question mark over his temperament -- he came across as an overtly aggressive, impulsive cricketer.

His performance in the recent ODI series in South Africa has shown that he has learnt to focus better and to curb his aggressive instincts. His shot selection has improved tremendously and he has matured as a batsman which was apparent when he played in difficult situations against top-class fast bowling.

With the World Cup round the corner, TOI caught up with the stylist middle-order bat. Virat talked about his form, his experiences in South Africa and much more.

Excerpts:

You seem to have hit top form just before the World Cup...

I am just trying to do things naturally and am getting more confident with every international match, which is a good sign. These days whenever I bat, I try to play with responsibility and according to the team's needs. I don't try anything extravagant. I hope this confidence will help the team during the World Cup.

Your take on India's recent tour of South Africa...

If you ask any Indian cricketer, he will tell you that the series was satisfying. The Test team did an excellent job and levelled the series and then passed on the confidence to the ODI side. That helped a lot. On top of that, the players who joined the side during the ODI series had already done their homework and were ready to take on South Africa.

Of course, I'm sad we failed to create history by winning the series. I remember the match in which I was batting on eighty odd runs and was very confident about taking the team home. But it rained and we lost the match. The satisfaction comes from the fact that we gave 100 per cent on the field. We fought hard and this series will serve as a huge learning experience for us all. We will surely make amends in the World Cup.

Are you nervous about playing the World Cup at home?

I am actually quite excited about playing such a big event in front of the home crowd. It's going to be a great experience. We will have the best support base and we will not think too much about the pressure of expectations. I know that there will be a billion plus hopes riding on our team, but the best way to tackle such a situation is to just think about your game and not get distracted by external factors. We cricketers also expect the fans to be patient and to support us during crunch situations.

What are your early memories of the World Cup?

I remember seeing my first World Cup match in 1996. I clearly remember two matches -- the quarterfinals where India beat Pakistan in Bangalore and the semis in Kolkata where the crowd erupted after India were on the verge of losing to Sri Lanka. Thereafter, I have been following Sachin Tendukar over the years. He has been the biggest inspiration for me.

Did the 2009 IPL experience help your batting in any way during the South Africa series?

During the 2009 IPL season, the South African pitches were very good for batting. But this time there was plenty of bounce and pace in the pitch. It was actually exciting to stand up and counter the South African pace attack. I enjoyed every bit of it.

What are India's chances for the World Cup?

Every team has a chance to win the Cup. You can't really predict the winners at this stage. But surely, we will have the home advantage and as I said earlier, our team is in good form.

Is Yuvraj Singh's form a worry for the team?

Yuvraj is a match-winner and everyone in the team knows that. He is batting well and looked in good touch in the South African series. There are times when you are batting well yet you are not scoring big. You need a lot of luck to score big runs. It has happened with me as well. I got some runs in the ODI series but I got out in the final game. It's practically impossible to score big in every match. So, it's important to be patient and wait for the right opportunity.

How serious are you about your bowling?

This is one area I am working on.

[pakeeza1990]

i am agree with your statement huma virat kohli is very good talented player for the india and his presence in home world cup india has a good chance to win the Cricket World cup 2011 . and i hope india will win the Cricket world Cup 2011 easily .

Thanks for your post and information sharing with us

[puresoul]

Well,
My all best wishes for Pakistan cricket team, all the best boom boom afridi.