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Cricket PlayersIndia vs West Indies: India aim to set benchmark with West Indies series - Virat Kohli
India have lost six out of nine Tests (home and away) this year and with the critical Australia tour impending, the team will hope that its new opening pair of debutant Prithvi Shaw and KL Rahul finds its feet soon.
India captain Virat Kohli said on Wednesday that his team will take the series against West Indies as a ‘benchmark’ for the future and sort out the top-order, as the opening Test starts here on Thursday with the world No 1 team looking to improve their record this year.
India have lost six out of nine Tests (home and away) this year and with the critical Australia tour coming up in December-January, the team will hope that its new opening pair of debutant Prithvi Shaw and KL Rahul finds its feet soon.
“We want to set a benchmark in this series and want to keep repeating these (good) things,” Kohli told reporters on the eve of the Rajkot Test.
“We have a change at the top of the order and we will give these guys enough space and chance to feel comfortable at that position. They definitely have the skill-set and are supremely talented and what we have seen of them is very, very exciting,” Kohli said.
Kohli pointed out that one of the reasons for losing Test series both in England and South Africa was the failure of the top and lower order and that needs immediate correction.
“We know as a team what are the areas to improve on. Definitely, if you look at sides who win Test matches, contributions at the top and the contributions at the lower order are more important than what happens in the middle (order),” he said.
“The lower order is all about contributions, there’s no change needed there. Ashwin and Jadeja have done it for so many games in India, it is just about replicating that when you go to play in other countries as well,” Kohli said.
Also Read: Virat Kohli clarifies on Karun Nair’s omission, says ‘selection is not my job’
Kohli expressed confidence that the lower order will come good. “The reason why England did well is because their lower order showed more resistance. I wouldn’t say their top order did better than us. Usually a lot of batsmen, especially at the top, struggle there because of the conditions. At home, we are not bothered, because the lower order has done well in the home conditions.”
“The motive has always been to put the best XI on the park and we have hardly tinkered with the batting order apart from a couple of guys not being in form here and there. We have utilised the conditions to the maximum, we have picked up wickets because we have played people who are suited to those kind of conditions, or the pitches we have played on. Yes, the batting hasn’t been upto the mark and that is why we haven’t been able to win in England and South Africa,” Kohli added.
Kohli said he is rejuvenated after a short break. “It was mental and physical both (fatigue). Because of the intensity at which the two tours went – South Africa and England. People usually talk about workload but they don’t understand its concept. They refer to workload as the number of games played. That’s not workload.”
“I definitely needed a break because my back went (read: injured) once in South Africa and went again in England. Looking at the World Cup, these are two things to consider. To give them (players) ample rest and opportunity to train well and come back stronger,” he added.
The Indian captain said speaking to players on selection was a part of selectors’ task, following the controversy around non-selection of Karun Nair.
“The selectors have already spoken about it and it is not my place to say. There are three selectors who are doing their job and as I say, people conveniently merge everything and make it a circle... where everyone’s given that opportunity or doing their job, not focussing on what’s happening or being spoken on the outside. So if a person has spoken about a certain thing, it should be cleared then. It shouldn’t be brought in here again.”
