Manchester blast disturbing but Champions Trophy paramount, says Kohli

‘What happened here a few days back was really saddening and very disturbing’

Virat Kohli arrived in the United Kingdom heartbroken but the Manchester blast has failed to break his unwavering focus on cricket as the India captain gears up for a tournament that is of 'paramount importance'.

Defending champions India will begin their campaign in the ICC Champions Trophy with a high-profile match against arch-rivals Pakistan on June 4 in Birmingham, which is less than 100 miles from the affected city.

"Firstly, what happened here a few days back was really saddening and very disturbing for everyone who saw it. And especially a place like England, to say the least, has not had many of these incidents happen in the past.

"So, yeah, I mean, for a few people it can be sort of a nervous time. But I don't think as a squad you have time to focus on those factors, because eventually you understand that you're here for a sporting tournament," Kohli said on arrival.

He said the players are not nervous despite the heightened security all around and relentless briefings.

"...And that for us remains paramount in our thought patterns. And I personally don't feel any nervousness as such. I saw life resume pretty normally. And that's always a healthy sign."

The Indian batting mainstay seemed satisfied with the security apparatus in place.

"We have security briefings throughout the day. We have a lot more information in terms of specifics that we need to keep in mind. I see life resuming very normally. And obviously with the security information coming in as well, it will be very helpful for the players, you know.

"... What are the areas we can access? What times we can access it? What are the areas we need to avoid? All the sort of things obviously come into play when you have a situation like this which the players need to respect."