Test captain Virat Kohli hinted India would field five bowlers in the opening Test match against South Africa at Mohali, which starts today.
"If we have six batsmen and one wicketkeeper then even if you score 500 runs, but are a bowler short.Then more often than not, there will come a session when you will give away too many runs and will not get a wicket," he said at the pre-match press conference.
"So, I think the top-five batsmen should take more responsibility of scoring runs. Along with the wicketkeeper, it becomes six batsmen and your all-rounders also contribute," he added.
India are eyeing a comeback after losing the T20 series 0-2 and the ODI series 2-3. In this regard, the captain is pinning his hopes on the bowlers singling out Ravichandran Ashwin to get them a win.
"I certainly believe that a bowler wins you a Test match.
"Batsmen can hardly get you a Test match from a difficult situation, if you are chasing. More often than not, it's the bowlers who eventually out you in that position when you have to chase a small total. So bowlers' role is more important than batsmen in Test matches," he opined.
Ashwin who had missed the last four ODI's due to a side strain he picked in Kanpur, has been credited as the danger man by the opposition.
"Well for the last two three years, he has been the go to man in Test cricket. He is someone who has done well in conditions that suit the spinners. Even when they suit you, you have to pitch the ball in the right areas and you've seen him take five-six wickets consistently in those conditions," he said, before adding: "He's definitely someone who has taken his game to the next level," he said of Ashwin who has 145 wickets to his name in this format with an impressive average of 28.44.
It will be a doubly momentous day for Kohli as his first day as captain of the Test side falls on the same day as his 27th birthday. "It will be an exciting and special for me tomorrow when I take field in my first home game as captain. Secondly it's my birthday as well so it doubles up the excitement for tomorrow," said the flashy batsman.