Former Pakistan off-spinner, Saqlain Mushtaq, revealed how he would tell the likes of Moeen Ali, Adil Rashid to focus on getting the better of Virat Kohli, as his wicket would allow their team to get a mental edge over the Indian team.
Saqlain was part of England's coaching staff as a spin consultant till the end of the last year's 50-over World Cup.
Both Moeen and Rashid have dismissed the Indian batting maestro six times each.
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"Yeh ek nahin, yeh gyarah hai. I would just tell them Virat's wicket is like bowling out the entire Indian team. He is like XI players in one, you have to see him like that," said Saqlain during an Instagram live with Nikhil Naz.
"As a bowler, you have to be clear in your mind. Yes, you have a world-class player who is at the top of his game and does not face any issue against any type of spinner, be it left-arm, offie or a leggie."
"But I would tell them the pressure is more on him not you, as the whole world is watching him. You have to be clear in your mind," he added.
During the Headingley ODI of India's long tour of England two years back, Rashid got Kohli out with a ball that turned viciously from the leg stump and dislodged the off-stump. A dream dismissal for all leg-spinners.
Saqlain remembers he branded it "Virat-wala delivery", so as to keep reminding Rashid to practise that in the nets.
"It was a wide ball and had a lot of drift and clipped the bail. I would tell him to bowl Virat-wala delivery so that he keeps producing that at the nets."
"It's about putting your soul into the ball. Yes, he's the No 1 player in the world. But if you put your plan, imagination, feeling and passion into the ball, you are no less."
"As the No 1 batsman, he will have an ego. If you bowl a dot ball to him his ego will get hurt. And if you trap him and get him out, he will be really sad. It's a mind game, you have to keep your standard high."
Now Pakistan's Head of International Player Development, Saqlain, said the English team did a lot of homework for the Indian team and its captain. Kohli, such a great player, still ended up scoring a lot of runs during the Test matches, putting the horrors of 2014 behind him.
"We would study all his batting phases - how he starts, builds up and finishes the game - and plan accordingly. I had a lovely time with these boys. Indians are the best against the spinners, so you always look forward to playing against them," Saqlain said.
"Against India, you have to be fully prepared and ready to play a long ball. Your blood will sweat and you have to have a strong mind to deal with them."
(Inputs from PTI)
