"We have a mindset of winning the series rather than going out there and seeing what happens," Kohli said on Monday.
"The intent is going to be aggressive.
"I don't mind a fight. I don't mind a bit of chat on the field. A bit of banter.
"I don't mind all that. It probably makes me more determined."
Mitchell Johnson hasn't forgotten the unsolicited advice he received from Kohli and teammates during Australia's woeful Test tour of India last year.
"They were pretty chirpy and they let us know how good they were going," Johnson said.
"I know they've already been saying a few things. That's good they're talking about us."
Johnson noted Kohli "didn't have the best series in England", referencing the 26-year-old's average of 13.40 in this year's five-Test series.
Kohli got on the front foot when the England series was raised.
"I don't know why that England phase is still spoken about, most of us don't want to remember it," he said.
"If you keep sulking about the past, there's no way you're going to move on in life."
As for Johnson, Kohli said India would not be "giving him too much importance".
Kohli explained Dhoni's omission by saying the side wanted him to be "100 per cent fit ... (and having had) enough practice here".
Kohli vowed to be his own man when it came to field placings, bowling changes, and potentially risking defeat to chase victory.
"I'm going to go with my gut feel," he said.
"It might look funny, but as long as it's effective.
"You might see things quite different from what you usually see."
However, he suggested Dhoni remains central to India's planning this week.
"His influence is ever so important to the team ... he's been there, done that and seen possibly every situation in cricket, Kohli said.
- AAP
