For Kohli, there’s nothing wrong with his batting and all what matters is the approach, which has played a significant role in elevating him as India’s Test captain.
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“Virat Kohli and team will play a three-day warm up match in Colombo before the first Test in Galle”. “In Bangladesh we had one odd Test Match and it wasn’t a full-fledged series”.
“It is an exciting challenge to start together as a new unit”. Now, speaking ahead of his team’s departure for Sri Lanka, he once again stressed the importance of taking 20 wickets in a Test match, while also pointing out that such a strategy will require his bowlers to chip in with the bat too when required. Ashwin has a Test average of 40 and I cannot see that why he can’t be that all-rounder for us.
“What I do personnaly in my cricket is that I remain pretty consistent beause that is the way I have always played my cricket”. “That’s that only way you win a Test match and I strongly believe we need to have the best bowlers playing in the squad”. “I think that is one of the major reasons that the board thought that I could be the man to take up responsibility for the team”, Kohli told bcci.tv.
Kohli said he always give 100% effort on the field and putting extra yards in batting is not required at the moment. So, I don’t see any reason why he can’t be the allrounder for us.
On why he chose to play this India A game, Kohli said, “I wanted some kind of momentum going into the Sri Lanka tour”.
Playing under Rahul Dravid’s coaching while representing India A has been helpful for Kohli, he emphasised.
“It is always great to be around great players like Rahul Dravid because his presence is so calming and reassuring”, he pointed out. He played him differently to other people and that sometimes is the difference.
However, this would not be the first time when BCCI would ban wive and girlfriends of cricketers to accompany them during official tour. “And I will continue to that till the time I play for my country”, he asserted.
Also team India director Ravi Shastri will not join the team till the eve of the 1st Test on August 2012. “But the middle phase of the innings is when the guys can capitalise”. It is exciting for me and as a team. The conditions and the weather plays a big role in Sri Lanka. Vijay has got runs for us consistently.
Also drawing praise from Kohli were young batsman Ajinkya Rahane and senior off-spinner Harbhajan Singh, who has come back after being sidelined for more than two years.
“He (Murali Vijay) has always been a very very solid opener for India”. Everyone has a few hiccups in their career.
“If results follow or results go away it is good to create a bit of history but one just need to focus on the process as these things are far fetched may be after a month we will be able to analyse and sit down and talk about it. He has a lot of patience, is a very solid character and very sure of himself and of his game”, Kohli highlighted. The idea is to take 20 wickets and that’s the only way you win a Test match. He has given us a lot of stability at the top of the order. “I am not really anxious about that”. He puts in 100 percent for the team. Even with the lower order, he batted positively. “With the ball reverse-swinging later in the game, the fast bowlers have been the ones to bag those crucial breakthroughs”.
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“We have lot of experience with the spin department”. Off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin said: “We all know the strengths and weaknesses of players at the global levels”. I know he has the skill, but he needs that boost in confidence.
