India vs Australia | Players should not make shorter formats an escape route from Test cricket, advises Virat Kohli

India recently won the four-match Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2-1 against hosts Australia. They created history in doing so as it was the first Test victory for any Asian team on Australian soil. But Test series had only a few spectators thronging the stadium only many occasions and Virat Kohli, who time and again has expressed his fondness for the longest format of the game stated that to keep the longer format of the game alive and kicking, India will have to be the best team so that India’s huge fan base benefits the sport.

"If we focus too much on shorter formats - yes, they're important - but if we solely focus and look at them as an escape or an excuse to not be in the kind of situations that Test cricket presents to you, then I think there will start being a mental problem with the cricketers coming up," Kohli was quoted as saying by Star Sports.

"As long as you're willing to wake up every morning for five days and do the hard yards and go do the dirty work - if you're willing to bat for two hours and not score a run for the team - I think that is what people should prepare (youngsters) (for)."

India is a country where cricket bags the top honours even though many sports have made huge strides in managing to grab the Indian eyeballs in the last decade or so. Hence the Indian skipper added that if the Indian fans and players respect the Test format it will still stand ahead of it’s shorter counterparts.

"I wouldn't say goal but I would rather speak of a vision, which is for India to be a superpower in Test cricket or a very, very strong side in Test cricket in the years to come. I think if Indian cricket respects Test cricket, and Indian players respect Test cricket, then Test cricket will stay at the top because of the fan base that we have all over the world."

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