Talking about India’s lost chance to remain at the top of the ICC Test rankings, Kohli said they do not play for the rankings. For the time being, the Pakistan cricket team seems to be pleased at the adulations it has been receiving also not only from the Pakistani fans but from all over the world.
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The top ranking is also a personal achievement for 42-year-old Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq, who took charge of the team two months after the 2010 spot-fixing scandal in England which resulted in five-year bans for then skipper Salman Butt and seam bowlers Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir.
The actor has films like “Mohra, ‘ “Gaddaar, ‘ ‘Border, ‘ ‘Refugee, ‘ ‘Hera Pheri, ‘ ‘Main Hoon Na” and ‘No Problem” to his credit. Even if you play two spinners and two quicks, Rohit (Sharma) and (Murali) Vijay can come in and bowl ten overs for me.
“We have identified a few bowlers back home as well who we want to keep up-to-date with the fitness levels required to play at this level in Test-match cricket. So, those were the areas for us to solidify”, Kohli said.
“I need to give West Indies a bit of credit”. If we had got a game we would have known how we would have worked it out.
But their recent performances in unfamiliar conditions in England, where they were victorious in Tests at Lord’s and The Oval to draw the series 2-2, have given the tourists belief that they can win away from their adopted home in the UAE. “It is a very short-term incentive because we understand that the points’ table is very close”, Kohli told reporters after winning the series here.
“This was something we wanted to try, in case we want to play with this combination going ahead the team should be comfortable with it”. Rankings keep going up and down, and you don’t play for rankings. “You want to be the best side in theworld and that has always been our aim”.
Pakistan grabbed the number one spot after India’s fourth Test against the West Indies was washed out at Port of Spain. But the Test cricket will resume soon, with New Zealand travelling to kick off the long-haul home season. The first of the 13 Tests begins in Kanpur in September and Kohli said his team is right on track.
“Not necessarily one where I expected two hundreds but I knew batting contributions would be very important”. That’s why we back a guy like Ishant, because, against top-quality sides, he can still keep hitting those areas and he puts the batsman under pressure.
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When asked about the changes in the playing XI for this match, and the changed batting-order, Ashwin said, “There was clear communication that they wanted to play seven batsmen in terms of trying to see how the combination would go”. Bowlers are taking responsibility, bowling to a plan and they are not selfish. We have addressed that and responded to it.
