Not bothered about records, still think of myself as a club cricketer: Virat Kohli

Sydney, Jan 22: Despite his achievement in international cricket in a short span of time, India's star batsman Virat Kohli feels he is a "club cricketer" and just want to win matches for his country.

Photo gallery; 5th ODI preview" title="Ind-Aus series schedule; Photo gallery; 5th ODI preview" />Ind-Aus series schedule; Photo gallery; 5th ODI preview

Ahead of the 5th and final ODI against Australia, Kohli was asked how it felt becoming the fastest to 7,000 runs in the format and his other achievements. (Don't deserve comparisons with Richards: Kohli)

"I still think of myself as a club cricketer wanting to do well in every game. Honestly. That's the kind of mindset I used to when I hadn't played state cricket for Delhi," the 27-year-old Delhi batsman told reporters in Sydney.

"I just wanted to go out there and win every match for my academy team and score the most number of runs every game that I played. To remain not out in the game and finish the game off. That was something that I've always been taught by my coach, and it's something that I've, luckily, been able to remember for a while.

"Actually, I don't think about what has really happened in the career so far. At times when you do get reminded of it, when people speak to you about it, you don't actually have a discussion about these things, but you go back to your room and think it's probably too surreal to believe," he added.

Kohli, who has struck 2 consecutive tons in the series, said he did not bother about statistics and wanted to concentrate on the game.

"In our heads, we still feel like we're playing the first game. We have that kind of excitement. That sort of nervousness before we go to bat. But for the outside world, it's a number of things - stats,
numbers and career - which we never look at when you go onto the field.

"I think that is very important, because moment you start drifting towards that side, you start losing focus on what you have to do and everything starts crumbling. Stats and numbers can take care of
itself on the sidelines. I like to feel grateful that I am in that position but it's very important to remember what got me there and still hold on to those values and beliefs."

OneIndia News