Highlights:
- Captain Virat Kohli makes a comeback for the third and final Test against South Africa putting things in perspective regarding his form saying he’s “at peace” with the same.
- Kohli ruled out the participation of pacer Mohammed Siraj for the third Test nursing his hamstring injury.
- With Jadeja’s availability and the unlikelihood of India accomodating two spinners, chances are that Ravichandran Ashwin might have to warm the benches again.
Indian Test skipper, Virat Kohli puts things in perspective as he returns for the final Test against South Africa starting at Newlands on Tuesday. Failing to score a Test hundred in the last two years, Virat Kohli clears the air about his form as team India gears up for the series-deciding third Test against SA. He communicated being “absolutely fit”, however, ruled out the participation of Indian pacer, Mohammed Siraj owing to a hamstring injury.
Kolhi went on to say that he was in a similar situation in the past, citing his England 2014 phase and that it would not be right to drift away from reality. Notwithstanding the lens with which the “outside world” looks at him, Kohli takes pride in the fact that the “setting the standards” that he is being compared today. Above all, he expresses enthusiasm in wanting to do whatever is in the best interest of the team and performing regularly.
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Taking note of the fact that in sports, things might not always work in our favour, he emphasised the importance of forming valuable partnerships and being available when the team needed him. It would be incorrect to constantly judge ourselves based on numbers, hankering for personal milestones because then we would cease to be content with what we are doing, added Virat.
“I am at peace with how I am playing and of everything that I have been able to do for the team when there is a tricky scenario”, he said.
It might be unlikely for Ravichandran Ashwin to play the third Test with the return of left-arm orthodox spinner, Ravindra Jadeja. The prevailing conditions would not endow India with the luxury of playing two spinners. However, this is subject to conjecture. In reality, Ashwin has performed well in two Tests and the captain is full of praise for him.
While acknowledging Jadeja’s contributions over the years, Kohli highlighted Ashwin’s batting contributions in the last Test praising the way he bowled in the second innings – a wicket along with 19 runs in 10 overs.
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A lot of criticism was directed at the Indian team management for dropping the off-spinner in all four Tests of England. But India, at the time, accommodated four fast bowlers leaving room for only one spin-all rounder. Jadeja made the cut by dint of his better batting ability.
The 2020-21 Australia tour witnessed Ashwin’s resurrection as a bowler in overseas conditions and inspite of the England void has been playing remarkably in South Africa, concurred Kohli.