I have nothing to prove, says Virat Kohli ahead of India vs England, 1st Test

On the eve of the opening Test at Birmingham, Indian captain Virat Kohli said that he is not in the frame of mind to prove anything to anyone but just wants to take Indian cricket forward.

On his preparation for the tour, Kohli went on to say, “It boils down to belief. Even on a flat pitch in India, you might not believe and get out. I am pretty confident of my own capabilities"

When asked if India would start as underdogs in the five-Test series, Kohli responded, “You need professionalism more than feeling like an underdog or starting the series as favourites.”

"Back in the day when I did not know these things, they used to bother me. I genuinely do not read anything now," Kohli told the media in the press conference on Tuesday.

"I had no idea what was going on after the first two Tests in South Africa. When I walk out to bat, I have the the bat in hand. I have to be focused on what I need to do.

"I did not think I would be sitting here 10 years ago. Not in the frame of mind to prove anything to anybody," he added.

Kohli, has come a long way since the miserable tour in 2014 and on Tuesday he said belief was the key to doing well in tough conditions.

"You focus on what you need to do. You need to have total belief in your own ability. We need to keep working hard on that. It all boils down to belief. If you have belief, you can score hundreds on a green pitch as well. In the last three years, I have been pretty comfortable with my headspace," he said.