Focus necessary to maintain winning momentum in IPL: Virat Kohli

Bengaluru, Apr 29 (ANI): Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) batsman Virat Kohlihas said that focus is necessary to maintain winning momentum in T20 format and changing batting order for the opponent is not needed.

Speaking to mediapersons at a news conference in Bangalore, Kohli said the team would need to work hard to win games in order to qualify for the semi-finals.

"We have seen that it is not a good feeling when you lose three consecutive matches. We have won two matches, the momentum is with us; there is home advantage as well. We will not be complacent and instead focus more because it is easy to relax but focus is much more challenging.

"And we should be doing that in this game because it is needed that we keep the winning momentum in IPL and yes there would be two to three loss, as Twenty 20 game is such. But, we are going to try to win more games so that our chance of qualifying is more," he said.

Commenting on changing the batting order, Kohli said it would not make much difference, as the batsmen mentally strategise the game according to the needs and demands of a particular situation.

"There is no point changing the batting order just for the opposition because that way you spoil the plans of your own batsmen. And we decided to stick to the same batting order because that way our batsmen can play better, which is much more important than worrying about what other team is planning for us," said Kohli.

RCB has got players like Chris Gayle, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Kohli and A.B. de Villiers that keeps their batting line up really strong.

Kohli agreed that by the end of the World Cup tournament, most of the players were exhausted and fatigue was seen in the first few matches of IPL but one week into the IPL and everyone seemed to be in the groove of the format.

RCB would face Pune Warriors on Friday (April 29) at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore. (ANI)