Ahead of World Cup 2019, Virat Kohli wants his players to smartly handle IPL workload

The upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) edition kicking off on March 23 will be followed by the ICC World Cup and a lot of voices can be heard expressing concern over the workload players who will head for the mega event will take in the T20 tournament. Even India head coach Ravi Shastri is hoping that none of the team’s key players sustain an injury during the IPL and put the team’s prospects in the quadrennial event in a spot.

Virat Kohli, the captain of India as well as IPL side Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), feels the issue of managing workload by the players is something that depends entirely on the players and he expected them to be smart enough individually to manage the workload before the WC begins May 30.

“If I’m able to play 10, 12 or 15 games, it doesn’t necessarily mean that the other guy can only play that many. My body might demand I play a certain number of games and I need to be smart about that and rest,” Kohli said during the launch of the RCB app.

“Someone else’s body might be more capable than mine or less, that is a very individual thing. And everyone wants to play the World Cup, so people will be smart about it because you don’t want to miss out on such a big event.”

India not far away from picking their WC squad

India will pick the final squad for the WC in the next one month and even though the core team is in place, some names are yet to be confirmed. They have no other international assignment before the WC and played their last against Australia at home recently. It was not a happy experience for the side though as they lost the T20I series 0-2 and ODI series 2-3.

Kohli said all players who represent India will have the responsibility while playing in the IPL to keep a watch on their fitness as well as the workload.

RCB coach Gary Kirsten, who was also the coach of India when they won their last WC title in 2011, said the IPL serves as a good preparation for the Indian players ahead of the mega event.

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