Top Indian batsman and ODI vice-captain Virat Kohli made it obvious how much the young team wanted to have a pow-wow with the top Test side in the world, and in their own backyard.
"We are looking forward to the South African tour. I think that tour will set the standard for our young team to go forward. Hopefully, we get to play some games there. I am not somebody who can take a call. All we can do is to be prepared if at all a decision comes. We had this tour in mind for a long time. Let's see how things work out," Kohli said at a promotional event on Tuesday.
However, one of India's most prolific batsman over the last two years, also realises that there is a job in hand -- the limited-overs series against Australia at home. For him, the Aussies, even without their regular skipper Michael Clarke, are always a formidable opposition.
"They have quite a few match-winners in their side. And since all of us are pretty much fresh from a two-month break, it's important to hit the strides early. A winning start will set the tone for the rest of the hectic season," Kohli reckoned.
Talking about the return of Yuvraj Singh to the national side, Kohli said: "I never had doubts about Yuvraj's comeback. I knew if he gets to play a few domestic matches, he would make it into the side. But what pleased the most was the fact that he shut himself completely out from the world and went to France to train. Both him and Zaheer have put in the extra effort. Yuvi has lost weight and looks much fitter."
Kohli has had some unpleasant exchanges with the Australian team and the fans during his first visit Down Under in 2011-12. And even as he assumes a more mature and controlled demeanour on the field, Kohli is sure he won't give up on intimidating the opposition.
"It's not just Australia. If a team tries to bully you or sledge you, you can't just let that happen. You have to give it back," he says, while asserting, "Virat Kohli is not the brash young kid because he wore tattoos on his body and fancy hair styles when he first arrived. I am not about funky T-shirts as well. I am what I do on the field and the amount of effort I put in."
Kohli has recently left behind mega brands like MS Dhoni and Sachin Tendulkar with a record-breaking marketing deal. He, however, makes it clear that his on-field record is what he is more concerned about. "I don't care where I am placed as a brand. But I surely do want to match Sachin and Dhoni's exploits on the field."
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