Ever-hungry Kohli wants more from India

CAPE TOWN: Indian captain Virat Kohli refused to bask in his team’s success in South Africa as he received the International Cricket Council (ICC) Test championship mace for the second year running.

Somewhat incongruously, the mace was presented to Kohli on Saturday at the end of a triumphant limited overs campaign. India won a One-day International (ODI) series 5-1 and a Twenty20 series 2-1.

Perhaps it was a reminder to Kohli that second-ranked South Africa had won a Test series at the start of the tour.“I’d say we are still 80 percent,” Kohli said of the Test team as he looked forward to major challenges in coming tours of England and Australia later this year.

“When we are able to achieve what we want to in the two tours, we’ll be more content,”“But our 80 percent is also exciting. To be a world-class side, you have to be 100 percent.”Although the cut-off date for the ICC rankings only comes in April, India cannot be overtaken. Apart from the mace and the glory India will collect a million dollars in prize money.

Kohli will leave South Africa on Sunday having dazzled with his batting artistry and his no-holds-barred captaincy style.It is doubtful whether any visiting captain in modern times has made a greater impact than Kohli, who stated on arrival that his India team feared no opposition nor any conditions.“We look at the pitch and adapt to the conditions,” he said. “Every game is a home game. It’s as simple as that.”