Shastri and Kohli addressed a press conference before Team India's departure for England tour.
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During the media interaction, a report asked Kohli to pinpoint the difference between his current self and the one from 2014.
To which, the Indian captain replied: "If in 2014, you would have told me that in 2021 I'm going to play the WTC final, I would have had a tough time believing that. I have stopped looking at series as ultimate tasks or goals. It's about leading the team in the right way."
After Kohli’s answer, Shastri reflected on the Indian skipper’s meteoric rise in the international circuit.
"The difference between the Virat Kohli of 2014 (England vs India tour) and today is that he's slimmer, fitter, the most successful Indian Test captain, and only five and a half thousand runs richer," the head coach said.
During the UK tour, the Kohli-led team will play New Zealand in the WTC final at Southampton from June 18-22 followed by five-Test series against England (August 4-September 14).
Team India squad departed for the United Kingdom in the wee hours of Thursday (June 3). After landing, they will undergo a stern quarantine in Southampton before beginning training for the WTC final.