Barcelona coach Ronald Koeman said Clement Lenglet has struggled to deal with the criticism which followed his mistake in Sunday's 1-1 draw against Cadiz.

Lenglet's foul on Ruben Sobrino in the final minute of the game handed Cadiz a penalty, which they scored from, as Barca missed the chance to close the gap on La Liga leaders Atletico Madrid to six points.

A lot of the post-match analysis in the local media focused on the defender's error and social media has been awash with abuse for the France international, who was pictured crying in his car after the game.

"I spoke with Clement this morning," Koeman confirmed in a news conference on Tuesday when asked how Lenglet was coping. "He's a serious guy and a top professional. He's taken this very personally.

"There are other things that happened in the game; one player alone is not to blame for dropping points. Yes, he could do better, and he's made mistakes [this season], but we made mistakes in attack as well through other players.

"At 2-0, an isolated incident in the last minute is not as decisive. So he cannot take all the blame. I'm going to defend my player, even if there are things he can improve, like all the players."

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Players at the top level of the game are increasingly subjected to abuse online. Arsenal coach Mikel Arteta recently urged social media companies to tackle the abuse and highlighted the damaging effect it is having on players.

Lenglet, 25, could get the chance to make amends for Sunday's mistake when the Blaugrana face Elche on Wednesday ahead of what could prove a make-or-break seven days.

They then face Sevilla, who are third in La Liga, twice in five days -- away from home in the league on Saturday and then in the second leg of their Copa del Rey semifinal at Camp Nou next Wednesday.

Barca are fourth in the table but could temporarily rise to second if they win their next two games, moving to within two points of Atletico, before trying to turn around a 2-0 deficit in the cup against Sevilla.

"A lot is at stake this week," Koeman added. "We can still fight for the title. Any team can slip up or lose a game, as we have seen recently, but we can't afford any more Cadiz repeats.

"We have two huge games this week and then we will think about the Copa. It will be tough to turn things around against Sevilla -- it would be easier with fans -- but we want to fight to [win something]."

The first time Diego Simeone faced Chelsea as manager of Atletico Madrid, it earned him a raise of several million euro, extra years on his contract and a place in the Champions League final. None of the above will be on offer on Tuesday when Los Rojiblancos host the club from Stamford Bridge, albeit in the Romanian capital of Bucharest due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The raise and the new contract came because, as is his wont, Roman Abramovich saw something shiny, cool and attractive and immediately tried to acquire it. It was the 2013-14 season. Then, as now, Atleti were making the strongest possible case to be Spanish champions. They'd just knocked Barcelona out of the Champions League, registering Simeone's first win over the Blaugrana as a coach (he had to wait until earlier this season, nearly seven years later, to achieve his first Liga win over them), and the semifinal draw had kept Atleti and Real Madrid apart.

Jose Mourinho (probably still "The Special One" back then rather than "The Special Once") was Chelsea's head coach, and with two Champions League medals plus a Europa League win to his credit, was a strong favourite to put this Argentinian manager back in his place.

Chelsea had coaxed Mourinho to return from Madrid, where he'd handed Simeone, in his debut Atleti season, a couple of "Welcome to Spain" defeats (aggregate 4-1) before he responded with typical aggression by winning the Copa del Rey final against Mourinho on the occasion of his last game in charge of Madrid -- and at the Santiago Bernabeu, for good measure. Three goals, extra time, the rules of football not only stretched to breaking point by both sides but -- as two red cards were shown to Gabi and Cristiano Ronaldo -- chewed up and spat out. Atleti packed the big old trophy in their kit bag and spirited it off out of Madrid HQ.

This would be quite different.

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Mourinho's team fought out a 0-0 draw at Atleti's old Estadio Vicente Calderon fortress (it's now mere rubble and a site awaiting development, which is a pity) and with just 53 minutes of the tie left in London were leading 1-0 -- ironically enough via Atleti fanatic and one-time teenage captain Fernando Torres. But that Colchonero side was a different breed from this one, and, it's still up for argument, so was Simeone.

They hit back for 1-1 before half-time, added two more -- including a massively delayed penalty that Diego Costa eventually slotted home with abundant glee -- and qualified for what would be the ultra-dramatic, uber-painful 2014 Champions League final in Lisbon. Against Madrid. You know what happened next.

From the moment Abramovich had bought Chelsea in 2003, he had coveted something Atleti had from birthright. It was to do with their name. Abramovich had always believed that, for commercial and tourism reasons, any team that didn't already have the name of their city in its official title -- Glasgow Celtic, Manchester United, Barcelona, Liverpool, Paris Saint-Germain -- should have that city name as an addendum: Atletico de Madrid, Bayern Munich, Inter Milan and so on.

The Russian billionaire had used UBS bankers to assess a possible purchase in Spain or Italy, including Atleti themselves, before deciding on Chelsea. He immediately created a working group to study two critical ideas: selling Stamford Bridge and moving to Wembley, and renaming his new toy "London Chelsea."

Acquisitiveness, as opposed to the sack-replace-win-sack-replace cycle that has become the successful central motif of his ownership, was high on Abramovich's agenda in those early years. Wayne Rooney, as soon as he began scoring for Everton, was his first desire -- "How much to we have to spend for that kid?" he demanded to know from his right-hand man, Eugene Tenenbaum. Then it was Ronaldinho; Abramovich coveted the bewitching Brazilian player from first sight and, famously, offered Mourinho, beginning his first spell in charge, the Barcelona forward as a welcome gift. Mourinho rejected it, partly to show the owner that he was in charge of first-team matters, but his demand to acquire Didier Drogba instead didn't turn out too badly.

Abramovich, before the point when Atleti knocked Chelsea out of the Champions League on the verge of their third final since his 11-year investment in the club of several hundred million euro, also had tried to hire Sir Alex Ferguson at least twice. So when Atleti, once on his list of potential purchase targets, outplayed and beat the Blues in the last 50-something minutes of their 2014 tie, Abramovich wanted to acquire again. He instructed his recruitment staff to begin finding out what it would take to tempt this fiery, inspirational, super-intense Argentinian manager to make Chelsea as robust and as irresistible as Atleti were.

Contacts were made with Simeone's sister, Natalia, who represents him, and Chelsea planted the seed that he, and his assistant German "Mono" Burgos, would take over in summer 2015. But Atleti pressed the Argentinian pair as tightly and intensely as the team, under Simeone, ever pressed opponents on the pitch. They promised more money, double in fact, five years added to Simeone's deal (until 2020) and a review of the players Simeone wanted to bring in or have tied to the project via bigger contracts. By March 2015, the battle was won, temporarily: Atleti had fought off Abramovich.

But seeds like that, once planted, often regrow. When Abramovich sacked Mourinho halfway through the 2015-16 season, Chelsea still wanted to know whether the Man in Black (which remains Simeone's matchday wardrobe to this day) would walk the line from Spain's capital to England's. Guus Hiddink was put in temporary charge, but Chelsea invited Natalia back to London -- all of which Simeone made scrupulously sure that his employers were aware of, as he is a straight-shooter as far as honour and proper relationships with Atleti's owners are concerned.

By that stage, the stakes were different. Simeone had a very winnable tie with PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League round of 16 a couple of weeks away. And as it proved, he'd go on to take Atleti to the final of that competition again -- something that earned his club €70 million from UEFA. He also had worked his way to second in the La Liga title chase, just six points behind Barcelona. (Atletico would ultimately finish just three points off the top.) Good money had recently been invested in Yannick Carrasco, Toby Alderweireld, Stefan Savic, Filipe Luis, Thomas Partey, Oliver Torres, Jackson Martinez and Augusto Fernandez. The lure of staying was strong.

Moreover, try as he might, Simeone found that his English-language classes simply couldn't help him master the language in which he'd crucially require to be fluent in in order to both coach, but just as importantly, transmit his beguiling, inspiring character if he were to take charge at Chelsea and pursue Premier League and Champions League domination. He already knew what Gary Neville only discovered at Valencia: work through a translator on the training ground and you often lose too much of what made you attractive to the club in the first place.

Just as a guide to how strong Chelsea's, and especially Abramovich's, conviction was about Simeone and his methods between late 2014 and again in early 2016 -- when it was finally clear that they weren't going to be married -- look who was the next permanent appointment after Mourinho and then at the end of Hiddink's caretaker stint. They went out and acquired his twin: Antonio Conte was almost indistinguishable from Simeone in attitude, concepts, intensity and winning mentality. Call him the Italian Simeone, if you wish; it isn't far from a bull's-eye description.

As fate wanted it to be, Conte's Chelsea and Simeone's Atleti locked horns in the Champions League (the last time these two Euro pretenders met) just months after the Italian manager gifted Abramovich his fifth Premier League title. Somehow, remarkably, the battle was actually beneficial for both sides.

At first glance, Conte and Chelsea were comprehensively the winners, knocking Los Colchoneros out on the last matchday of Group C in December 2017. But, and this is so typically Simeone, while Conte and Chelsea were then being thrashed 4-1 by Barcelona in the round of 16, European season in tatters, Simeone & Co. dropped down into the Europa League and won seven out of their next nine matches, including eliminating Arsenal, and won the tournament thanks to man of the match Antoine Griezmann's brace in the 3-0 victory over Marseille in the final.

And, now, here they are again: Chelsea newly refurbished and significantly harder to beat under Thomas Tuchel; Atleti leading La Liga and Simeone recently contractually renewed on what's probably the biggest salary for any coach in the world (around €20m a season) until 2024 -- but the team suffering badly with injuries and a spate of COVID-19 absences.

What does the resumption of this long, bumpy story of affection from Chelsea toward one of Argentina's great football men have in store for us this time? Tuchel's side, you might well argue, start with form and momentum. But this "home" game is being played on the site of Simeone's first trophy win in charge of Atleti: Bucharest's National Arena, where, having taken charge of a moribund, characterless team at Christmas 2011, he inspired them to thump Marcelo Bielsa's Athletic Bilbao 3-0 in the 2012 Europa League final.

Something similar on Tuesday evening would do nicely for Simeone.

Virat Kohli kicked his sleeping room-mate, Ishant Sharma, out of the bed to inform him he had been selected for India 15 or so years ago. Things haven't changed that much over time. To Ishant, the Ahmedabad Test starting Wednesday is just another Test; to Kolhi, the fast bowler's 100th is as good as the 150th for a batsman in modern cricket. On the eve of the Test, Kohli paid rich tribute to his "dear friend" and his attack's spearhead.

"I have known Ishant for many years now," Kohli said. "He started playing state cricket with me from his first season onwards. We have been room-mates for many years in state cricket, in Ranji Trophy cricket. When he got selected for India, he was fast asleep in the afternoon, and I had to kick him off the bed and say you have been selected. And he wouldn't believe me. That's how far we go back.

"I couldn't be happier for him. Paying 100 Test matches as a fast bowler is no mean feat. Especially in our conditions where things get so difficult but he persevered, he kept working hard. That's been his essence from day one. Very hard-working guy, very honest about the game, about his ability, about what he brings to the table. Very self-assured."

Looking at Ishant's amazing performances in the last four-five years, it is easy to forget he spent a majority of his career as the workhorse of an incomplete attack with some ordinary figures. Ishant's turnaround began when he learnt under Jason Gillespie at Sussex how to get fuller without sacrificing his pace. It also coincided with India managing a more complete attack, which meant Ishant was not so easy to see off. His best years have also coincided with Kohli's captaincy.

"I was most excited to work with him and really bring the best out of him as an attacking fast bowler," Kohli said. "Something that clicked immediately [when I took up captaincy]. He knows my mindset. He knows me inside out. There is a big trust factor. I know him inside out. I know he will respond to advice, he knows I am going to listen to his plans as well. I think it has worked really well for both of us. Not just for him as a fast bowler, but for me as a captain to have that kind of experience and the kind of consistency he brings along with the attacking lines and lengths he bowls.

"I have just been very very happy to see him enjoy his bowling over the last four-five years and really become that stalwart of Indian fast bowling group. Couldn't be happier for him. Really, really excited I am going to be present on the field when he plays his 100th game. To see the smile on his face and just run in and bowl will be great to watch for a dear friend of mine."

Kohli was in awe of Ishant's conditioning, motivation and commitment. "To maintain his body so well, to play 100 Tests, this longevity is rare to see among the fast bowlers today," Kohli said. "Sometimes you lose motivation too. He has the skill, mind you, to play the shorter formats. If he wanted he could have improved his four-over and 10-over cricket and could easily be a regular in IPL and present a case for himself in one-day cricket. But he dedicated all his commitment and attention to Test cricket, prioritised it. To play 100 Tests for a fast bowler is as good as 150 Tests for a batsman. I hope he plays for many more years and inspires the next group of fast bowlers too."

Perhaps Ishant's conditioning is too good for Kohli too, at least when you look at his full head of hair. "If you captain and wear helmets for a long time you will also lose your hair," Kohli said. "If he bats for a long time he will also lose his hair. Thankfully it doesn't come down to that, and when it does his role is different."

A doctor and a nurse coordinator are the latest individuals to be added to the investigation into the death of Diego Maradona, bringing the total to seven people.

The Argentine legend died following a heart attack on Nov. 25, two weeks after being released from a hospital in Buenos Aires following brain surgery. He was 60.

Nancy Forlini, a doctor from private company Swiss Medical, and Mariano Perroni, the coordinator of Medidom nurses -- the health company that treated Maradona in the house where he died -- have been included in the probe.

"Let us remember that Perroni was the person who urged nurse [Dahiana Gisela] in Madrid to falsify a report for the company Medidom in which it was stated that that morning he had tried to control Maradona and that [Maradona] had refused, when in reality the nurse had not entered the room," a judicial source told Telam news agency.

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In total, seven individuals, including neurosurgeon Leopoldo Luque, who performed Maradona's brain surgery, are under investigation by Argentine authorities as they attempt to determine whether there was negligence in his treatment following the operation, and if so, whether those individuals should face a criminal case for manslaughter.

The San Isidro prosecutors' office will convene with specialists on March 8 to establish whether there was malpractice from those under investigation.

If there was any concern as to how dynamic shortstop Tim Anderson and old-school manager Tony La Russa would get along, Chicago White Sox fans can breathe a sigh of relief at the start of spring training.

Anderson, who laughingly said that he wouldn't "change my style, the way I play" after the White Sox hired the 76-year-old La Russa in October, said he arrived at camp early just to sit down and talk with his new manager.

The 27-year-old Anderson, who hit .322 in 2020 after winning the American League batting title in 2019, said he has gotten the chance to get to know La Russa, and he likes what he sees.

"Just to see what page he's on is definitely awesome," Anderson told reporters on Monday in Glendale, Arizona. "Just have conversations with him, very motivating.

"The drive to want to win, he has that. I'm behind him 110 percent. That's the ultimate goal, is to win and to win a World Series here. I'm behind him."

La Russa, in his second stint with the White Sox 34 years after they fired him, is 2,728-2,365 with six pennants over 33 seasons with Chicago, Oakland and St. Louis. Only Hall of Famers Connie Mack (3,731) and John McGray (2,762) have more victories.

But he hasn't filled out a lineup card since the Cardinals beat Texas in Game 7 of the 2011 World Series, and he's very aware of that.

"One of the players asked me, 'Hey, you were nervous [after addressing the team Monday]?'" La Russa said. "I said, 'Yeah.' ... It means that you care and you understand that the unknown is out there. The challenge of the competition."

Said Anderson: "I think he's pretty solid. So far, everything has been great. The things he has been preaching have been good. I think we got the right man. I hope so."

La Russa is no stranger to managing big personalities. He had Rickey Henderson and Jose Canseco in Oakland. And his closer there, Dennis Eckersley, was known to pump his fist, point at opponents and fire imaginary guns at them after strikeouts.

Anderson said he's at a point where he "can tell him anything I want to" after their one-on-one meeting.

"I ain't afraid of him," Anderson joked. "Tell him that."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

When my little brother was at the very end of his teenage years, he stepped over the Vermont moat and joined me for spring training in Arizona. Eventually we made our way to Las Vegas for some exhibition games. As we drove down The Strip for the first time, bathed in its bright, flashing lights, he spoke of the place with awe, with reverence, predicting many future trips to the casinos.

An hour later, he was slumped in front of a slot machine, his $200 allotment for the trip completely drained. I laughed without a shred of empathy, pointed at all the neon and asked, in so many words, "Sherlock, who do you think pays for all of that? You do!"

In other words: Always respect the folks who set the odds.

But every year, when the over/unders on baseball team win totals come out, I like to peruse and identify perceived soft spots.

Here's what I see in the William Hill set of over/unders:

Britain's Johanna Konta lost out to American Shelby Rogers in Adelaide in her first match since her Australian Open retirement.

She was forced to abandon her opening round match in Melbourne with an abdominal injury.

And although Konta showed few ill-effects from that, Rogers' return proved the stronger.

She broke early in the first set, going 3-1 up and holding her advantage and did the same in the second set, taking a 3-2 lead and winning the last three games to continue her good start to 2021.

The 28-year-old reached the fourth round at the first Grand Slam of the year before losing out to top seed Ash Barty.

Virat Kohli kicked his sleeping room-mate, Ishant Sharma, out of the bed to inform him he had been selected for India. That was 15-odd years ago. Things haven't changed much over time. To Sharma, the Ahmedabad Test starting Wednesday is just another Test; to Kohli, the fast bowler's 100th is as good as the 150th for a batsman in modern cricket. On the eve of the Test, Kohli paid rich tribute to his "dear friend" and his attack's spearhead.

"I have known Ishant for many years now," Kohli said. "He started playing state cricket with me from his first season onwards. We have been room-mates for many years in state cricket, in Ranji Trophy cricket. When he got selected for India, he was fast asleep in the afternoon, and I had to kick him off the bed and say you have been selected. And he wouldn't believe me. That's how far we go back.

"I couldn't be happier for him. Playing 100 Test matches as a fast bowler is no mean feat. Especially in our conditions where things get so difficult. But he persevered, he kept working hard. That's been his essence from day one. Very hard-working guy, very honest about the game, about his ability, about what he brings to the table. Very self-assured."

Looking at Sharma's top-notch performances in the last four-five years, it is easy to forget he spent a majority of his career as the workhorse of an incomplete attack with some ordinary figures. Sharma's turnaround began when he learnt under Jason Gillespie at Sussex how to bowl fuller without sacrificing his pace. It also coincided with India managing a more complete attack, which meant Sharma was not so easy to see off. His best years have also coincided with Kohli's captaincy.

"I have just been very, very happy to see him enjoy his bowling over the last four-five years and really become that stalwart of Indian fast-bowling group"

"I was most excited to work with him and really bring the best out of him as an attacking fast bowler," Kohli said. "Something that clicked immediately [when I took up captaincy]. He knows my mindset. He knows me inside out. There is a big trust factor. I know him inside out. I know he will respond to advice, he knows I am going to listen to his plans as well. I think it has worked really well for both of us. Not just for him as a fast bowler, but for me as a captain to have that kind of experience and the kind of consistency he brings along with the attacking lines and lengths he bowls.

"I have just been very, very happy to see him enjoy his bowling over the last four-five years and really become that stalwart of the Indian fast-bowling group. Couldn't be happier for him. Really, really excited I am going to be present on the field when he plays his 100th game. To see the smile on his face and just run in and bowl will be great to watch for a dear friend of mine."

Kohli said he was in awe of Sharma's conditioning, motivation and commitment. "To maintain his body so well, to play 100 Tests, this longevity is rare to see among the fast bowlers today. Sometimes you lose motivation too. He has the skill, mind you, to play the shorter formats. If he wanted, he could have improved his four-over and ten-over cricket and could easily be a regular in IPL and present a case for himself in one-day cricket. But he dedicated all his commitment and attention to Test cricket, prioritised it. To play 100 Tests for a fast bowler is as good as 150 Tests for a batsman. I hope he plays for many more years and inspires the next group of fast bowlers too."

Perhaps Sharma's conditioning is too good for Kohli too, at least when you look at his full head of hair. "If you captain and wear helmets for a long time, you will also lose your hair," Kohli joked. "If he bats for a long time, he will also lose his hair. Thankfully it doesn't come down to that, and when it does his role is different."

Chris Gayle is expected to return to West Indies' T20I squad for the first time in two years, when the side takes on the visiting Sri Lankans at the start of March. West Indies will announce a squad later this week but Gayle has interrupted a stint with Quetta Gladiators in the PSL to return to the Caribbean, having been given indications that he will feature in the three-match T20I series against Sri Lanka.

As with the other members, Gayle will undergo a fitness assessment before the final squad is named. If he does play, it will be the first time he has represented West Indies in any format since August 2019, when he played an ODI against India; it will be exactly two years to the day since he last played a T20 international, against England in March 2019.

Gayle is scheduled to return to Pakistan for the remainder of the PSL after the last T20I, on March 7 - an arrangement that had been agreed upon after the draft but before the season began. In fact, the PSL had announced just before the season that Faf du Plessis would be a partial replacement for Gayle just before the season began, though they did not specify why such cover was needed.

But this recall, under the captaincy of Kieron Pollard, marks a significant milestone in Gayle's career, as well as for West Indies, coming as it does in a year in which they will be preparing to defend their T20 world title. That tournament is due to take place in India in October-November, West Indies having won the last edition of the tournament also in India, in 2016.

At 41, Gayle's future - international and otherwise - has been the subject of on-off discussion since the 2019 World Cup. Prior to the event, he had said the World Cup would be his last ODI cricket, though he reversed the decision during the tournament itself. He then turned out for the ODIs against India after the tournament, blasted a 41-ball 72 before walking off - to handshakes from opponents and applause from fans - as if it was his last game for West Indies.

He took a brief break from all cricket at the end of that year but upon his return in January 2020 at the Bangladesh Premier League, said he was still open for a return for West Indies - also joking that he might continue playing till he was 45. If he does play at the T20 World Cup, he will be 42.

Though the announcement of du Plessis as cover hinted at a return, the actual reasons for Gayle flying back were revealed, inadvertently, in a PCB press release after his 68 (off 40 balls) against Lahore Qalandars failed to prevent a nine-wicket defeat. Gayle has batted at one down for Quetta and scored 39 off 24 balls in the first game, another loss to Karachi Kings. Chatting to Gayle on his experience of returning to Pakistan after 14 years, the release said that Gayle "will leave shortly to feature in the West Indies' T20I against Sri Lanka back home."

This was Gayle's first cricket in Pakistan since touring with West Indies in 2006-07 and he was, he said, feeling "blessed" to be playing at all during a pandemic.

"Playing during this particular time is a blessing. Hopefully, things can get better in the future.

"When you look at what's happening in the world there are no fans in the stadiums and people have to watch [cricket] on television. It is something people and players look back and say we have to appreciate times when we actually had good things and not take them for granted.

"Things are tough with the world in pause. We must not take life for granted when things can open. We're going to try to live the best life and live it to the fullest, spend more time with family and friends and reach out to the people a lot more."

Gayle hoped cricket will resume in full soon.

"I am sure players are still hungry for it. "It is our livelihood, it is our job, our earning and that is what we know."

Bowl to contain at the start and cash in once the ball starts to misbehave under lights. Bat freely during the day, and take a fresh guard and bat as if opening the innings when the lights come on. That's what the experience of playing the day-night Test in Kolkata has taught Virat Kohli. He expects spinners and fast bowlers to both be in play even though the conditions underfoot are expected to assist spin bowling.

"The pink ball does tend to swing a lot more than the normal red ball that we play with," Kohli said on the eve of the Ahmedabad Test. "We experienced that in the one match that we played in 2019 against Bangladesh. It is much more challenging to play the new pink ball regardless of the pitch you are playing on. Especially in the evening, say, as a batting team you are starting your innings in the evening under lights, then that one-and-a-half hours is very challenging. Yes, spin will come in for sure, but I don't think the new ball and the fast bowlers can be ignored. The pink ball does bring them into the game till the ball is nice and shiny. Something we are very well aware of, and we are preparing accordingly."

Kohli said the first session of the day was the easiest to bat in. "Last time we experienced that the first session is probably the nicest to bat," Kohli said. "When the sun is out and the ball doesn't do much. But when it starts to get dark, especially during that twilight period, it gets very tricky. The light changes. It is difficult to sight the ball. Then under lights it is like playing the first session in the morning in a normal Test match. The ball does tend to swing a lot. I think it is a reversal of roles and something you need to adjust to quite quickly as a batsman. Even though you might be quite set in the afternoon, you have to really take guard again and start from the scratch in the evening. And understand that you probably have to be more disciplined than you were in the day.

"Similarly with the bowlers. The plan in the afternoon was to bowl a nice and consistent line and length, and then in the evening when the situation allowed us to, we attacked a lot more. I think the same kind of template will be useful in this game as well."

The day-night Test, though, has bigger implications. If India lose it, or the next, they can't make it to the World Test Championship final. A day previously, Ishant Sharma spoke of how much that final meant to him, that as far as he, a one-format specialist, was concerned, it was the World Cup for him, and that it was imperative that he help India make the final. Kohli doesn't want to think that far ahead.

"You can't play for those kind of reasons [the qualification permutations]," Kohli said. "We are not looking to win one and draw one. We are looking to win both. For us these are two games of cricket, and the only thing we are focused on. What it does afterwards is a conversation for later. That is a reality not present right now. In the present moment we are preparing for tomorrow, ready for the grind for five days, wanting to win a Test match for India and then move on to the next one.

"One day at a time is something we have followed for years now. There is no point running far ahead into the future where you have no idea what's going to happen. We are going to focus on what we can do as individuals in the present moment and let other people think of scenarios and what if and what if not."

Nor is Kohli carrying any scars from India's previous day-night Test, where they played excellent cricket for two days before being blown away in one session in which they were bowled out for 36. Similarly, England were bowled out for 58 in their previous day-night outing. Kohli said all that won't matter in Ahmedabad.

"We are going to focus on what we can do as individuals in the present moment and let other people think of scenarios and what if and what if not."

Virat Kohli on the WTC final prospects

"Both are bizarre experiences for two quality sides," Kohli said. "If you ask England the same question that do you think you could be bowled out for 50 again, their answer will be no. Because you understand that on particular day, things are meant to happen a certain way and whatever you try to do, it is out of your control and nothing seems to go right. Exactly what happened to us in Adelaide.

"Barring that 45 minutes of bad cricket, we dominated that Test as well. We are confident of how we play the pink ball. Even in Australia, where the pitches were assisting their seamers, they were under the pump throughout the game. We understand that quite well. From the outside, things are not as detailed or as explained about what happens in the change room. But you understand exactly what went wrong that day and you brush it aside, which the team did beautifully in the Melbourne Test. These are experiences. Not a mental scar. Not a hindrance. Something you learn from and move ahead."