Virat Kohli feels one Test match cannot decide who is the best team in the longest format and the India skipper is looking at the World Test Championship (WTC) final as "just another game".
India will be locking horns against New Zealand in the finals, beginning Friday, at the Ageas Bowl in Southampton.
"If you are talking about Test cricket and deciding, who is the best Test team in the world on one game over the period of five days. That's not the reality of the truth, it's not gonna reflect anything for people who really understand the game and who know how the teams have faired in the last five years," said Kohli during a virtual press conference on Thursday.
"This for us is another Test match. At the end of the day, you realise you play sport and you are gonna be beaten or you are gonna win on a particular day. If we win this game cricket doesn't stop for us, if you lose this game cricket doesn't stop for us. Our mindset is what matters to us the most and we are striving for excellence," he added.
Talking about his camaraderie with New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson, Kohli said, "Me and Kane have become friends over the last few years playing against each other quite a bit and we do have a conversation off the field as well.
"When you step across that line you are professionals at the end of the day. You wanna get him out as early as possible as he is the best batsman in the New Zealand team and they would wanna do the same with us.
"I think the camaraderie and undertanding, the bonding we have mostly happened off the field. On the field it's very professional as I said we are looking at them as opponents whom we wanna beat in this Test match," he added.
The winners of the much-awaited WTC final between India and New Zealand will take home a purse of USD 1.6 million along with the ICC Test Championship Mace.
( With inputs from ANI )
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