Kohli tells India to show Sri Lanka who's number one

GALLE: Two years ago Virat Kohli's India started a series in Sri Lanka as the team almost anyone could beat, on Wedn
25 Jul, 2017

GALLE: Two years ago Virat Kohli's India started a series in Sri Lanka as the team almost anyone could beat, on Wednesday they take to the field in Galle as the team to beat.

India may have been nervous last time, but now Kohli says the side has come full circle with "no massive areas of concern" as they seek to strengthen their hold on number one Test nation status.

Two years ago, India had not won a series in seven attempts. They lost the opening Galle Test and it was an electro-shock. They won that series 2-1.

India have since been embroiled in near chaos off the field -- the governing body put under Supreme Court administration and a coach forced out by clashes with the captain -- but near domination in competition: 13 Tests played, 10 won, two drawn and just one defeat.

Kohli said Tuesday that he wants a definitive end to the drama over the departure of Anil Kumble as coach and a winning start to the new era with Ravi Shastri.

"We have spoken enough about these issues and it is something that we are not focusing on at all now," the skipper Kohli said.

"We are just looking forward to the cricket now and in this series to showcase our skills and have consistent performances, which we have had as a side ever since we started our climb back in the rankings."

Copyright AFP (Agence France-Press), 2017

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