Sri Lanka vs India 2017: We Don’t Want to be Predictable till the Lead Up to the World Cup – Virat Kohli

Jan 9, 2019 at 4:02 PM

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Sri Lanka vs India 2017: We Don’t Want to be Predictable till the Lead Up to the World Cup – Virat Kohli

Remaining true to his words, Virat Kohli-led India experimented extensively in the recently-concluded One-Day International series against Sri Lanka. After not selecting the likes of Yuvraj Singh and Suresh Raina, the team tried Kedar Jadhav and KL Rahul in the middle-order while Hardik Pandya was tried as a floater.

After Jadhav failed, Manish Pandey was given a chance before an out-of-form Rahul made way for Kedar Jadhav in the last game.

In the bowling department, the team tried out Axar Patel and Yuzvendra Chahal before giving Kuldeep Yadav a chance. Fast-bowler Shardul Thakur also played the last two games, as India gave every player in the squad a chance. The heavy experimentation, nevertheless, was a successful one, as India thrashed the hosts by six wickets in the fifth ODI to clinch the series 5-0.

Speaking after the last game, skipper Virat Kohli hinted that the team is in no mood to stop experimenting with the team combination till a solid playing is formed before the 2019 World Cup. Not only that, Kohli also made it clear that the team will try out the players from a definite pool of 20-25 cricketers.

The best thing is transparency. We address it and tell them that this is a bunch of 20-25 people who will make the probable for the world cup and everyone has an equal opportunity to be tested at different stages. Till the world cup, we have what 42 matches, 37 now if I am not wrong, so yeah we will have to keep trying different players and try the best combinations for us. And we will have to give that combination a long run before we settle into the world cup. So everyone understands where we stand as a team, you have to appreciate that and accept that because it is about the larger picture, it is not about who is sitting out and who is playing, it is about focussing on a very big tournament,” the skipper said at the post-match conference.

In that scenario people will have to accept roles and will have to accept things that are addressed. The best thing about this team is they are very sporting, and they accept things quickly and embrace the challenges, you know they take it as a challenge rather than getting disappointed and sulking, start working hard on that aspect of their game and make it happen for the team, so I am quite lucky that I have a bunch of players that do not oppose anything that the management and me as captain address to them. It makes my job a lot easier,” he added.

When asked about the duration till which the team will keep on experimenting, Kohli said: “The sooner, the better. If within the next couple of series we find the best combination for us, which is covering all bases and working well, and we find an eleven that is flexible enough to try different batsmen at different position or play bowlers who can bat a bit and things like that, then I think we are sorted, along with having the best fielding side on the park.

“I think that’s a balance that we need to create. It will only happen when we have a couple of big series coming up, so if guys perform in that, then the mindset becomes different of taking anyone anywhere in the world, so I think those series will be very important for us to find the right balance as a team.

It will be a milestone for younger players to gain more confidence and be a regular in the playing eleven that is more flexible. We don’t want to be predictable for sure, till the lead up to the world cup and in the world cup. We want eleven guys who can bat at any stage and bowl and chip in with overs at any stage. We remain unpredictable, and there is no pattern to anything, the sooner, the better,” he added.

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