PUNE: After much hype and attention before the start of the series, especially regarding MS Dhoni’s decision to step down as limited-overs skipper, it’s finally time for action. And one man who couldn’t wait for the action to start was the new man-in-charge, Virat Kohli.
In his series as full-time skipper across formats, and also as ODI captain, the Delhi lad stressed on two words — no experimentation. With the Champions Trophy coming up in June, Kohli felt it was better to stick with the tried and tested, rather than usher new people in ahead of such a big event.
“The middle order was devoid of much experience, and it was decided that we needed a player with that quality ahead of such a crucial event. That’s why we selected Yuvraj Singh, for he, along with MS, can help shepherd the likes of (Kedar) Jadhav and Hardik (Pandya). Also, it’ll be a good moment for the senior duo, who have played a lot together, and I’m sure they’ll feed off each other, which can only be beneficial to the team,” said the skipper on Saturday.
Playing England in his first series as full-time skipper is no easy task, especially considering the kind of players at the visitors’ disposal. “They’re a fearless bunch and have been on a roll in white-ball cricket for a while now. So it’s important to be aggressive against such a team. Their top order has been even more impressive, and hence, getting a few early wickets is the best way to plant doubt in their minds. We’ll then see what kind of plans the middle-order batsmen come out with,” added Kohli, ahead of the first ODI here on Sunday.
As ever, he didn’t hold back when asked how difficult a proposition it would be against England’s batsmen. “It isn’t only about hitting the ball out of the park all the time. I did notice that they don’t tend to give much importance to strike rotation. We’ve made a note of that, and will look to exploit that weakness on Sunday,” said the 28-year-old.
With the kind of 216 that he and India have had, it would be hard to bet against the hosts sealing another series win at home, in both the ODIs and the succeeding T20Is. But that’s where Kohli has matured as a player and captain. He wants his team to win, but do so in a manner that befits champion teams. And the whole process starts with him, as he is the captain.
“I’ve always thrived when given responsibility, and it was the case here as well. I know that I now have to bat even better, and along with my usual game, I’ll try playing the anchor’s role, so that the rest of the batsmen can express themselves around me. I’m enjoying the duties of captaincy, and it brings out the best in me,” concluded the only batsman with international 50+ averages in all three formats of the game.