Not going to drop a player based on one series: Virat Kohli

Indian Test skipper Virat Kohli is all set for the first Test match of the series against West Indies which will be commencing in a few hours of time. Without disclosing more details of the playing XI, the team will not drop any player based on one series.

He hinted that India will go with 5 bowlers and KL Rahul will be the third opener and thus he will have to warm the bench for the first Test.

“We are not going to drop a player based on one series. If you’re talking about KL Rahul, his game has improved leaps and bounds in the last four months, he’s established himself as India’s third opener in the Test side. He played in Sri Lanka and got some runs there as well. But you have got to take some hard decisions at times,” Kohli said in the pre-match press conference on Wednesday.

“Whoever starts a Test series has a definite edge over whoever has to wait for his chance but at the same time, it is a four-match series. It is a hard call between Shikhar and Rahul – Shikhar is someone who can dominate sessions and bring you into the Test match, especially in conditions like in West Indies. It is nice to know we have KL Rahul waiting in the wings, who is as solid as anyone in world cricket right now,” he added.

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He made his Test debut in 2011 at West Indies and ended the series with a poor average of 15. Since then, he had evolved as a great international cricketer along all the formats and thus will be looking forward to improving his record here.

“I literally had no clue about Test cricket when I came here in 2011, I learnt about the game here. I’ve been here a few times after that, but never to play Test cricket. West Indies is a great place to come back to, the atmosphere is good, the people support cricket. I am excited to be playing a series here after so long, and so is everyone else,” the 27-year old said.

The Indian Test skipper feels that the pitch will be slow and low thus it’s key to have wicket taking bowlers. “The pitch is soft and dry, like the ones back home. There will be a lot less bounce on this surface than on other West Indies grounds like Jamaica or Barbados. It will be a good batting surface, and it will be very important to have bowlers who can bowl well on the third and fourth days.”

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He praised Mohammed Shami, who had a great strike-rate in all formats of the game, for his wicket-taking capabilities. “Shami has bowled well everywhere that he has played. He had an unfortunately long layoff but is bowling well at the moment. He has the ability to bowl attacking lines and lengths. He is a complete package as a fast bowler and can take wickets at any stage of the game, which is very important and pleasing to a captain. I wish him luck for the upcoming season.

“We have found over the last year and a half that the first Test of the series sets the tone for the series, and we want to start aggressively. We want to be able to pick 20 wickets and so shall be going in with five bowlers. It is very important how the fifth bowler bowls. We shall pick bowlers who bowl on the stump line. Even if we have one batsman short, we shall take up the extra responsibility,” he signed-off.