India captain Virat Kohli addressed the press ahead of the first Test against England starting in Nottingham on Wednesday. Kohli spoke on a wide range of topics from opening combinations to unwarranted criticism of Cheteshwar Pujara’s strike rate.
Shardul Thakur Can Bat Among Bowlers, Others are Showing Interest in Net Sessions: Ajinkya Rahane
Part:
On the opening combination in the absence of Shubman Gill and Mayank Agarwal:
India vs England 2021: Winning in England is nothing more than winning elsewhere, says Virat Kohli
We will announce 11 before the toss tomorrow. We are happy with where we are placed.
Lessons from previous tours, where India was competitive but not always successful
We want to improve on the things we haven’t done well. We have to get better at control damage when things aren’t going your way. And then finally capitalize when things go well. Not all sessions are going well. When things don’t go in your team’s favor, we have to keep improving. We know exactly what to do. It all boils down to execution.
Shardul Thakur as an all-round option
He certainly could be… He is already a multi-faceted cricketer. He brings a lot of balance, Hardik has done for us in the past. Now he is returning to bowling regularly. Shardul has a huge potential for us not only in this series but also going forward.
Are India well prepared after arriving early in England?
We are definitely much better prepared than before. The situation has allowed us to get used to and get used to the weather, it can change very quickly and quickly. At the same time, playing in different conditions is going to add more to our preparation.
We can have all the experience in the world when it comes to execution. It comes down to trust and how much you want to live in situations that aren’t easy. I have loved every moment of it.
Will the England batsmen get hurt from the series earlier this year?
It all depends on the batsmen who are walking out, how much they carry with them when they come out to bat. I can confirm that we definitely have the ability to get them out consistently. As long as we follow our plans. Whether they are on target or not depends on individual batsmen.
How do you deal with James Anderson?
I will bat now.
Is the team following India’s Olympic campaign?
We are all following the Olympics, we are all following our athletes eagerly. We take great pride in all the medal winners and those who go far.
Is criticism of Cheteshwar Pujara’s strike rate unfair?
This has been going on for some time. A player with his ability and experience should be left alone. It should be left to the individual to work on the shortcomings in his game, similarly with me and any other player in the team. From the outside, I can say that the criticism is unnecessary, but I really know that Pujara doesn’t care. People can say what they want but at the end of the day, it’s just words.
How important are brakes?
Subconsciously your mind keeps working. You are used to planning on a daily basis. That’s why it is necessary to take a break. You saw Ben Stokes taking a break. We have been in a bubble for a few months. It’s not easy, so breaks are important. We can come back refreshed, because being a captain is a stressful job. And you put us in a bubble, it becomes even more difficult. Taking a break is necessary. We are fresh and optimistic in this series. For us, especially for me as captain, this break was important.
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