'It will be lovely if you ask us this question on an England, New Zealand or Australia tour' - Virat Kohli on ongoing pitch debate

India will lock horns against England in the last Test of the four-match series at Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium in Ahmedabad on March 4. This is a crucial game for India as they need a victory or draw to book a berth for themselves in the final of the inaugural edition of the World Test Championship

alongside New Zealand. 

On the eve of the highly-anticipated Test match, Indian skipper Virat Kohli appeared before the press where he gave his views regarding India’s Playing XI, the infamous pitch debate and the formidable bench strength of India. However, Kohli refrained himself from giving away too much information regarding the hosts team-combination for the final Test. 

When asked about the potential Playing XI, the 32-year-old reckoned that the hosts aren’t looking forward to making many changes in their winning line-up from the last Test. However, they will be forced to find a replacement for Jasprit Bumrah as it is learned that the ace pacer has demanded some time-off to prepare for his marriage. 

“We will have a look at the pitch again tomorrow. We have a certain set idea of what we want to go with. Bumrah is obviously not available. So, we just have to see what we want to go in with. There won’t be many changes to the last eleven that played. Most probably a similar kind of combination,” Virat Kohli said during the press conference. 

The Test series between India and England has been constantly making headlines mainly due to the pitches that are curated to benefit the Men in Blue. Many former players including Michael Vaughan, Steve Waugh and Inzamam-Ul-Haq have slammed India for making unsuitable pitches and using the home advantage to the extreme. 

We have guys who are hungry and ready to play: Virat Kohli

Opining on the same, Virat Kohli gave a stern reply saying, “It will be lovely if you ask us this question on an England, New Zealand or Australia tour. Not when you’ve seen two turning pitches in India. That question is irrelevant for me at this point.”

The Indian skipper believes that losing Jasprit Bumrah ahead of the fourth Test isn’t a big issue for India as they have many players who are looking forward to getting a single opportunity to prove their mettle. Virat also provided a fitness update on the players saying that there are no health concerns for the team and everyone is fit. 

“Jasprit didn’t play the Test match that we won in Chennai. That shows you our bench strength. Having him obviously is a big boost for us. Having said that, our bench strength is very very strong at the moment. We have guys who are hungry and ready to play. There are no health concerns; everyone is fit and fine here,” Virat Kohli signed off.