Indian captain Virat Kohli says he's primed for the Sydney Test starting Thursday despite struggling with back spasms during last week's match in Melbourne.
Kohli slumped to his knees in pain while batting in the first innings of the Boxing Day Test, receiving treatment and tablets from the team physio prior to his dismissal on 82.
He appeared slightly ginger in the field and lasted just four balls in the second dig before his injury could be tested at the crease.
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The world's No.1 ranked Test and one-day batsman has long endured back pain, with flare-ups forcing him to miss a Twenty20 against South Africa in February last year and hampering him in a Test series versus England in August.
But unfortunately for Australian fans, Kohli is adamant his performance won't be hindered at the Sydney Cricket Ground this week.
“I’ve had this issue since 2011, it’s nothing new,” Kohli said on the eve of the game.
“I’ve been able to manage it because of the physical effort I’ve put in over the past few years, and when you have a back that has these issues you can only maintain it that way.
“ ... If the workload gets high it can get into a spasm. I mean, you don’t necessarily get serious issues, you get fine in two or three days.
“I’m not too concerned with it. You just have to manage it physically and stay ahead of the injury and I have been able to do it for now.
“I’m sure I’ll find other ways and more options to keep countering that.
"I mean, it’s impossible to keep going without niggles and I think it’s fine to have a few niggles here and there. You just need to be able to manage it.”
Kohli is on the precipice of becoming the first man to lead India to a Test series win in Australia, with the visitors 2-1 up and only needing a draw to finish on top.
However, Kohli denies his side is enamoured with rewriting the record books.
"The motivation has never been to change history," he said. "It's only been to overcome the challenge that's in front of you.
"As a sportsman and as a cricketer, you can ask anyone, that's the most important thing and that's something you look forward to – not necessarily proving something to someone or changing history.
"It's just crossing a hurdle and making yourself believe that you're good enough to be at this level and beat any team anywhere in the world, and that's the most important thing to us."
The 30-year-old Kohli has been solid in a tough series for batsmen, sitting only behind teammate Cheteshwar Pujara for runs scored with 259 at 43.17, including a century and fifty.