‘There is no comfort zone at the international level, there is no comfort zone in training, there is no comfort zone in preparation. So, people who want to relate this to comfort zone should really have a reality check that it's pressure, not a comfort zone.’
After stumbling to an eight-wicket loss in the first Test of the four-match series against Australia, India skipper Virat Kohli on Saturday said there is no comfort zone in international cricket.
Kohli's remarks came after he was asked whether the 62-run lead in the first innings put India in a comfort zone.
"It's very hard to put (my) feelings into words. We had a lead of 60 when we arrived today and just collapsed completely," said Kohli, who lost for the first time in 26 Tests where he had won the toss.
"When you work hard for two days... to get yourself in a good position and then literally in an hour, you put yourself in a position where it's impossible to win, it really hurts."
"There is no comfort zone at the international level, there is no comfort zone in training, there is no comfort zone in preparation. So, people who want to relate this to comfort zone should really have a reality check that it's pressure, not a comfort zone. Having played for so long I can definitely tell you straight up," Kohli said.
On the third day of the first Test, India was bundled out for 36 in the second innings and Australia was given a mediocre target of 90 runs. Australia chased down the total comfortably inside 21 overs with eight wickets in hand.
Kohli added that the side will bounce back in the Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground as he feels players will step-up in his absence.
Ajinkya Rahane is set to take on the role of stand-in captain in the remaining three games of the series as Kohli will return home after being granted paternity leave by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).
"Leaving with a victory would have been great. Having said that this is Test cricket anything can happen at any stage. I'm pretty confident that the team is going to bounce back strongly in Melbourne. Few of the guys are going realise their true characters and how they can step-up for the team. I'm very, very confident that we'll definitely learn from this. I don't think we ever had a worse batting performance so it only goes upwards from here," Kohli added.
The Virat Kohli-led side might have had a 62-run lead entering the third day of the first Test, but the side squandered the advantage as the batsmen failed to rise to the occasion and Australia made light work of the visitors.
India were bundled out for 36 in the second innings. For Australia, Hazelwood scalped five wickets while Pat Cummins took four wickets.
36 is India's lowest-ever score in Test cricket. Before this, India's lowest score was 42 in Test cricket against England in 1974.
