WI v IND 2019: Virat Kohli hints at playing four bowlers in Antigua Test

Virat also added that the composition of the bowling attack will totally depend on the pitch.

Team India will play Test cricket after more than seven months | Getty

On the eve of the first Test against West Indies in Antigua, India skipper Virat Kohli hinted that the No. 1 Test side will field four bowlers in the match before adding that the composition of the attack will totally depend on the pitch.

“We could not look at the wicket as it was still covered. After looking at the pitch, it is more or less a choice between three quicks and a spinner or two quicks and two spinners,” Kohli told reporters on Wednesday (August 21).

“The last time England played here, pitch had quite a variable bounce so all those factors come into play. But we are very flexible and open at the moment,” he added.

The highly-anticipated Antigua Test will be India’s first red-ball game in more than seven months. In their last Test series, Kohli and company had defeated Australia 2-1 in their own den and became the first Asian side to clinch a Test series Down Under.

After winning the first Test at Adelaide Oval, India lost the second one in Perth before bouncing back to win the third match in Melbourne.  

“The loss at Perth. It gave us a pretty fair idea of what we needed to do. In terms of going into the next Test in Melbourne and how we needed to approach the game. And that is why we ended up winning the series,” Kohli said.

This series will see both India and West Indies starting their World Test Championship campaign, which got underway with the Ashes opener earlier this month.

“In Test cricket, it is all about correcting your mistakes very fast and learning quickly from your loses. And that is what the Test Championship will bring in as well. The team that learns quickly from its mistakes will be in the hunt to reach the top of the Championship,” Virat remarked.

“We have learnt quite a bit (in Test cricket). Capitalising when the situation is with us and need to control damage when things are stacked up against us. That is the most important part of Test cricket. You can’t lose six wickets in a session and then expect to comeback,” he continued.

As far as the point system in the World Test Championship is concerned – there will be 120 points up for grabs in each series. The number of points for each Test will be equal to 120 divided by the total number of matches in the series. It means each of the two Tests of the India-West Indies series will carry 60 points.

“It (WTC) put things into perspective. When you have points to gain and you are working towards something then every match becomes that much more important. It is going to bring in more competition, more requirement of precise cricket and a lot of discipline. I think the format is going to take the standard of Test cricket higher,” the Indian captain asserted.

Kohli wants the opening combination of Mayank Agarwal and KL Rahul to make the most of the four innings that they would get to play in the two-Test series

“In the opening combination, we have selected only two openers, so the idea is to give them four innings, just let them go out there and express themselves. Mayank has done really well, KL (Rahul) has performed well in the past, he is looking forward to making things count in Test cricket again,” Kohli said on the eve of the match.

“At the end of the day, as much as individuals want to perform, it is about what you can do as a team. If you look at the Melbourne Test, how (Hanuma) Vihari and Mayank opened and though Vihari scored just 18 or 20 runs, but he batted for 85 balls, tells you it is all about team, and he handled the situation so well that Pujara and myself could go out there and play the way we did and Pujara then went to get that century for us. I think these contributions are not recognised or spoken about so much but as a team we all have markers set as to what is expected from certain batting positions. It is up to them to capitalise and express themselves in these four innings,” he added.

There is expected to be a competition between Rohit Sharma and Hanuma Vihari for the No. 6 slot.

Commenting on the same, Virat said: “Look it again depends on the type of combination that we are going with. Vihari has done really well since the time he has come into the team in two difficult tours. Rohit also did well in Melbourne, so it all depends on what combination we want to go with.”

“Vihari also gives you few overs with the ball and he is a pretty solid player. Rohit’s quality we have been seeing for years. So it is about who provides the best balance in terms in the XI we choose.”

Kohli was also impressed with the healthy competition in the team.

“I am just happy about guys grabbing their opportunities. As long as there is healthy competition, for starting the game or contributing for the team, within the group, I think it is a great thing for Indian cricket. We are all happy to be in that position where we have a problem of plenty and not need to find players from places. So it is a great position to be,” he stated.

(With PTI inputs)

 
 

By Salman Anjum - 22 Aug, 2019

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