Virat Kohli names X-factors in his team for the UK tour

The Indian team is off to the tour of UK where they will start the England tour with 3 ODIs and as many T20Is. At present, the Australian team is in England and they have suffered massive humiliation in the five-match ODI series trailing England 4-0. More than anything the manner in which English batters have treated the Aussie bowlers has been demoralizing. However, Indian skipper Virat Kohli is confident as his team has two X-factors in his bowling attack.

Australia have not once managed to keep Eoin Morgan & Co. in control despite winning all the tosses. Almost all the England batsmen have relished the opportunity of playing against a bowling attack that has little experience and no teeth. In the second ODI of the series, the hosts also recorded the highest ODI team total – 481. That’s how imbalanced the contest has been between bat and ball.

X-factors in the Indian bowling attack

Virat on Friday said that the use of two new balls from both ends is actually really difficult on the bowlers. But he is confident his team will fare much better. They don’t rely only on pace and have two world-class wrist spinners in the ranks. Both Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav have the ability to turn the ball even on flat tracks and that makes them wicket-takers irrespective of the conditions.

”What’s been the difference for us is the two X-factors we have in the middle overs. We have actually been able to create flat wickets into wicket-taking wickets with the variety we have in the attack,” Kohli told the media in the team’s pre-tour press conference in New Delhi.

Use of two new balls

Further dwelling on the point, the Indian skipper added, “It’s brutal for the bowlers; hardly any room for attacking cricket is left from the bowlers’ point of view if you don’t provide pitches that assist them with the new balls. I have played ODI cricket at the time when only one white ball was allowed. It used to be a massive factor towards the latter part of the innings.

As a batsman, it was a lot more challenging. It is very difficult for the bowlers and they have no way out, unless you have wrist spinners in the side, which is something we have found out. But not every side has that caution,” Kohli said.

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