By Paul Newman for MailOnline
Published: 16:05 BST, 23 May 2019 | Updated: 16:15 BST, 23 May 2019
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Virat Kohli smiled as he pondered his unfamiliar position sitting alongside a captain under even more pressure than himself and gently cranked up the expectations on Eoin Morgan.
The Indian captain, who will carry the often fevered hopes of a billion people into next week’s World Cup, had been asked who will be the first team to score 500 in a 50-over international at a gathering of the captains of the 10 participating teams in East London.
And there was a hint of mischief in Kohli’s voice when he pointed to Morgan on the stage of the old film studio in Dalston where would-be entrepreneurs now have to pitch their ideas on TV’s Dragon’s Den and adopted his best Duncan Bannatyne manner.
Virat Kohli says England are 'obsessed' at being the first team to score 500 runs in 50 overs
‘This lot seem to be obsessed with it,’ said Kohli with a nod towards Morgan. ‘England want to get to 500 before anyone else.
'They smash it from ball one and for the full 50 overs. I don’t actually see too much high scoring in the later half of this tournament. Some teams might get on a roll but you’ll see 250 defended as well because of the kind of pressure that comes with it.
‘When you get closer to the knockout phases that is going to bring greater pressure and no-one is going to go gung-ho from ball one. Generally teams will find a way but I see pressure playing a massive role.’
It is that pressure, of course, that could be just as big an obstacle to England’s hopes of their first 50-over global title as Kohli’s India but Morgan was his usual calm, unflappable self in his retro England kit designed to evoke the spirit of their best World Cup of 1992.
Far from biting at
