India captain Virat Kohli has said that his relationship with coach Ravi Shastri is built on trust and mutual respect and the duo has always aimed at taking Indian cricket to higher levels.
"Our working relationship, and off the field as well, has been built on mutual respect and trust, on a vision that has been shared, which has been focussed in one direction which is to take Indian cricket higher and in a better place than we found it," said Kohli during the launch ceremony of a new exclusive members' club 'The Chambers' the Taj hotel on the eve of the fourth Test against England at The Oval.
"That was always our aim and I think, along with the brilliance of the whole team, the talent that we have been blessed with, we have been able to achieve that,” he added.
Kohli put his weight behind the team and said that it’s a side that every opposition wants to beat. "We stand as the team that everyone wants to beat anywhere we play in the world and that for us is a matter of immense pride," he said.
The five-match series between India and England is presently levelled at 1-1. Kohli’s men clinched a win at Lord’s while the hosts made a fine comeback in Leeds to thump India by an innings and 76 runs after captain Joe Root continued his form and struck another century in the series.
The two sides will now meet at Kennington Oval for the fourth clash scheduled to begin on Thursday.