Nagpur: Indian skipper Virat Kohli stated here Thursday that he can’t guarantee permanent first XI slots for Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja when the team travel abroad, where in all probability, a single spinner will be in operation.
“I can’t commit 100 per cent that when we play abroad we will be playing with two spinners, to be honest. It is because we need to have a look at the balance of the side as well. Obviously, those two guys with their batting abilities are both contenders to start a Test match depending upon the batsmen we are up against in the opposition,” Kohli pointed out.
“Only the opposition line-up will be taken into consideration as to who will play. If there are five left-handers in the side we are playing against, then it is natural for Ashwin to play. Similarly, if there is a majority of right-handed batsmen, then the left-arm spinner becomes obvious,” the skipper added.
Spinners have taken more than 100 wickets at the Jamtha ground here since the first Test played here in 2008 but those factors won’t be taken into account when Kohli decides on the playing XI for Friday’s game.
“That won’t matter because, obviously you have to look at what you are playing at, what kind of wicket you are playing on and pick the team accordingly. I don’t think past record should matter a lot,” Kohli asserted.
Kohli complains about schedule
Nagpur: Virat Kohli complained Thursday that cramped schedules are getting in the way of proper preparations for big series such as the upcoming tour of South Africa, a criticism that the BCCI promised to address with ‘utmost seriousness’. India would be leaving for South Africa for a series of three Tests, six ODIs and three Twenty20 Internationals, just a couple of days after the home series against Sri Lanka gets over December 24. “Unfortunately we get only two days before we fly to South Africa. So we have no choice but to play on grassy pitches for this series. We are trying to be in a game situation and think of what’s coming ahead of us,” Kohli said. “Ideally we should have had a month off before the South African series.”
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