Southampton, United Kingdom – India captain Virat Kohli is prepared to varyhis World Cup attack by adopting a ‘horses for courses’ strategy that seeksto make the most of the different conditions on offer during the one-daytournament in England and Wales.
India, the world’s number-two ranked team and one of the favouritesalongside hosts England and Australia, launch their challenge against aninjury-hit South Africa in Southampton on Wednesday, nearly a week afterthe tournament started.
“Well, firstly, we are very happy that finally we are going to startplaying. It’s been a while since we have been here,” Kohli told reportersat Southampton on Tuesday.
“I think it is a bit of an advantage (starting late), I have to say, interms of understanding how the games have gone, what the conditions have tooffer, what the overcast conditions bring into play when the sun is out,”the star batsman added,
South Africa will be without star fast bowler Dale Steyn, whose World Cupended without him bowling a ball after he was ruled out with a shoulderinjury, while fellow paceman Lungi Ngidi has yet to recover from ahamstring problem.
By contrast, India’s quicks are fit and ready to fire, having enjoyedprevious success in English conditions.
Led by Jasprit Bumrah, the world’s number one ODI bowler, the team’s paceattack includes Mohammed Shami, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Hardik Pandya.
Three specialist spinners in Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal and RavindraJadeja lend variety to the bowling attack.
– ‘Flexibility’ – Kohli, in his his first 50-over World Cup as captain,believes rotating his bowling options gives India, the 1983 and 2011 WorldCup winners, their best chance of success.
“The flexibility would matter in the bowling set-up is how we foreseethings. The batting line-up will have to be consistent,” said Kohli, whoseside called off their final pre-match net session because of rain atHampshire’s headquarters ground.
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“I think with match-ups in terms of playing against, if there are moreleft-handers then the bowling combination can alter a little bit.
“So that sort of message has been given within the team and the guys haveaccepted it. They understand that they will have to play certain roles atdifferent stages in the tournament.”
This World Cup has witnessed contrasting results so far with scores goingas high as Pakistan’s 348-8 in their win over England on Monday and thesame side crashing to 105 all out in an opening defeat by the West Indies.
Kohli said an ability to adapt with both bat and ball would be important,adding that the World Cup may not be the run-fest forecast by many pundits.
“We can’t say just because a few games have been high-scoring that we needto go out and get 350,” said Kohli.
“We know with our bowling attack any score is defendable with the kind ofskill-set that we have and that is the kind of belief we have in our side.”
Meanwhile Kohli insisted that a Proteas pace led by Kagiso Rabada remaineda potent force, even without Steyn sidelined from the World Cup.
“Look whether Ngidi plays, or Steyn plays or not, Rabada is always going tobe a world-class bowler and a threat to any side he plays against,” hesaid. – APP/AFP
