Former India skipper Sunil Gavaskar has said Virat Kohli should play in the Dharamsala Test even if he fails to regain full fitness.
The India skipper’s participation in the all-important Test is under severe doubt as he is yet to recover completely from the shoulder injury that he sustained during the Ranchi Test. Kohli, in his pre-match conference, had said he would play the fourth Test only if he is 100 per cent fit.
“Only if I am 100% fit, will I take the field. The fitness rules apply for everyone. I don’t know the magnitude of risk involved, that can be told by the physio. But if I pass the fitness test then I shall take the field,” Kohli had said.
However, Gavaskar’s feels that Kohli should be in the playing eleven as even his presence on the field will be a huge boost for the hosts who will be looking to reclaim the Border-Gavaskar trophy.
“If you look at the previous three Test matches Virat Kohli has not really contributed with the bat but as a leader, he has been there and as a leader, he has shepherded the team together. So the fact that he has not been contributing with the bat has been taken care of by the likes of KL Rahul, Murali Vijay, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane to some extent and Wriddhiman Saha down the order, Jadeja also. But it is as a leader that you want a person,” Gavaskar told NDTV.
A final call on Kohli’s fitness is expected tomorrow before the game and Gavaskar said that the team management should take a call by considering the importance of the player.
“I think what the team management has to look at is how important is this player to your team, in an all-round sense and not just as a batsman sense. So if his presence on the field is going to lift your team up, even if he is 50% fit, 60% or 70% fit, it is his presence in the team that is going to energise the team, then you got to play him. You got to convince him. Virat personally would like to go in as 100 per cent fit because that is what you will expect from any other player of the team but if the side feels that he is a must for this deciding game then they might want to convince him,” the former India opener said.
The legendary batsman further said that even though Kohli’s absence would be a big blow for the hosts, it would not make it easy for Australia to win the final match.
“Not really. With the way, others have responded and with Virat not being there, clearly a challenge for the others and may be the Australians would feel that there is one big hurdle out of the way, but the visitors know that the hosts for this particular game will come all guns firing. Because both teams know this is the deciding thing. Despite the fact that Virat might not play, I don’t think Indians would be too disadvantaged as they have the ability to regroup and pick themselves up,” he pointed out.
Meanwhile, the four-match series is currently locked at 1-1 and both the teams are expected to go all out to secure the series. Players from both the sides have played some fierce cricket in the last one month or so and would be keen to conclude the series by playing a similar brand of cricket.