Mumbai: India skipper Virat Kohli while admitting here Saturday that the new ODI rules will make the game more exciting, also called Ajinkya Rahane as the ‘third’ opener of the side thereby effectively ruling the batsman out of the playing XI in Sunday’s game against New Zealand. It should be mentioned here that in the last ODI series against Australia, the Mumbai batsman had hit four half centuries.
“He (Rahane) definitely grabbed his opportunities as the third opener. As I mentioned there was KL (Rahul) as well competing for the (opening) spot. But Jinx (Rahane) has performed well, stood up and taken his chances,” Kohli told reporters here.
“We don’t want him (Rahane) to get confused by making him play in the middle-order because you need to find your game in ODI cricket. You need to understand how to go about things in ODI cricket and he has always been solid at the top of the order because of his technique,” Kohli added.
Kohli stated that Dinesh Karthik has been included in the side because he will strengthen the middle-order. The skipper also admitted that the spinners Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal have been so good in the matches they have played, that he has been constantly tempted to play them together.
“Initially, the plan was simple – to have one of them playing. But then both have worked so wonderfully well in tandem, it is tempting to play them in every game,” Kohli asserted. He also clarified that both Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja will at the moment have to take a backseat as far as ODI cricket is concerned.
India will be playing the series under new ICC rules among which players can be sent off for misconduct, reduction in the dimension of bats and change in the DRS system. Kohli pointed out that the players need to be aware of the changes.
“Guys will need to be aware about the new rules. They are always difficult to keep a check on initially, but I think we all will get used to it. It’s a good thing, new regulations will makes things much more exciting and bit more professional I guess,” Kohli pointed out.
Kohli also stated that some of the key batsmen will be rested for the series against New Zealand and Sri Lanka keeping in mind the tour to South Africa starting January, next year.
Press Trust of India
