It Was A Clinical Performance, Something We Wanted To Do As A Team: Virat Kohli

Jan 8, 2020 at 10:12 AM

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It Was A Clinical Performance, Something We Wanted To Do As A Team: Virat Kohli

Indian captain Virat Kohli is very happy after claiming their first win of the new year in a convincing way. He is also pleased to see the performances of the pace bowlers Navdeep Saini and comeback-man Jasprit Bumrah.

While rain forced no play in the first T20I of this year at Guwahati on last Sunday (5th January) night, India and Sri Lanka met in the second T20I of this three-match series at Indore on last Tuesday (7th January) night.

Once again the Indian captain Virat Kohli won the toss and decided to field first in the Indore T20I. After the hosts’ bowlers restricted the visiting side to 142/9 (20 overs) in the first innings, Indian batsmen chased down that target comfortably (17.3 overs) after losing three wickets (144/3).

We have gone from strength to strength from the last series – Virat Kohli

Virat Kohli is very happy with this clinical performance. He feels that it is a very good sign for the Indian team.

Virat Kohli, India
Virat Kohli (Image Credit: Google)

Kohli said in the post-match press conference, “Very happy. It was a clinical performance, something we wanted to do as a team. We have gone from strength to strength from the last series. Even though we didn’t have Rohit, we had a convincing win, which is a very good sign for the team.”

The right-arm pacer Navdeep Saini once again impressed in this game as he won the Player of the Match award for the impressive bowling figures of 4-0-18-2. He dismissed the opener Danushka Gunathilaka with his firing yorker and later took the wicket of Bhanuka Rajapaksa with a brilliant bouncer.

Virat Kohli, India
Navdeep Saini (Image Credit: Google)

 

Kohli claimed, “Navdeep has come into the ODI circuit as well, he is gaining more confidence in T20 cricket. You can really see him letting himself go. When he does that, he can clock those speeds which he did. It’s great to see him getting people out with yorkers and bouncers and with pace. It’s a really good sign for the team.”

On the other hand, Jasprit Bumrah has returned to the national side and showed his class in this match. He finished the game with the bowling figures of 4-0-32-1. Virat Kohli is pleased with that bowling performance.

India
Jasprit Bumrah (Image Credit: Google)

Kohli added, “Really pleased to have Jasprit back in the side. He’s bowling with pace again. You’ll have to figure out who are the people that are very similar in their bowling skills, and you pick the senior one.”

Prasidh Krishna has done well in the domestic arena as well

Virat Kohli also revealed that one surprise package is likely to be carried with the squad during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2020 in Australia. Talking about that, Kohli praised Prasidh Krishna.

Virat Kohli, India
Prasidh Krishna (Photo Credit: Getty Images)

He said, “I think one guy will be a surprise package going to Australia, someone who can bowl with pace and has bounce. Prasidh Krishna has done well in the domestic arena as well. This group of bowlers, it is a great luxury to have in all formats. Looking at the big World Cup, we have enough options.”

In both the matches of this series, Kohli-led India chose Washington Sundar and Kuldeep Yadav as the spinners in the playing XI.

Elaborating the spinners’ selection, Kohli said, “It (spinners selection) was purely based on the number of left-handers they (Sri Lanka) have. Kuldeep takes the ball away so does Washington. It’s all about match-ups. If there are more right-handers, Jadeja and Chahal become more lethal. As a captain, you need more than five bowlers in T20 cricket.”

Virat Kohli also talked about the pitch and the team.

Virat Kohli, India

 

He quoted, “Beautiful surface, we bowled really well, we pulled things back really well. Regular wickets was the key. As a bowler, no one likes bowling here. You want to see guys stepping up, playing under pressure, trying to finish games. I want to play at three and four to figure out both positions and at the same time give a chance for the youngsters as well.”

India-Sri Lanka will play the third and final T20I of this series on Friday (10th January) at Pune.

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