New Delhi: Virat Kohli on Friday dismissed Steve Smith's claim that hosts India are under pressure going into the second match of the four-Test series. India lost the series opener in Pune by a whopping 333 runs as Australia ended Kohli & Co's brilliant 19-match unbeaten run.
On the eve of the second Test match, to be played at Bengaluru, Smith said that the Aussies were just one win away from reclaiming the Border-Gavaskar trophy and the pressure is obviously on the Indians.
"I think they will feel under a little bit of pressure. Obviously, going into this series, all I heard was 4-0 to them. So they're one down and need to come back. We are one win away from the Border-Gavaskar trophy. Things can happen pretty quickly here. So we might be one or two sessions away from getting that back. I'm sure they'll feel under a bit of pressure," Smith said.
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But Kohli laughed off Smith's claim as mere "mind-games", saying the team is pretty relaxed.
"Me? As a team? Does it look like (under pressure). I'm pretty relaxed. I'm happy. I'm smiling. It's fine, those are his views. I think it's time we focus on our skills more than what Australia is saying or preparing like. I know these minds games in these press conferences are something they're very good at," Kohli said.
He also reckoned that the series is still alive and in all likelihood, the outcome of the series will be known only after the fourth match.
"We are still going to play the cricket that we have played for the last two years and see where the series ends after the fourth game."
