Skipper Kohli finds optimism in injury, saying the rest made him more ready for upcoming English tour
His meticulous build-up plan was thrown haywire by injury but fit-again Indian cricket captain Virat Kohli on Friday said missing the much-anticipated county stint before the tour of England has turned out to be a blessing in disguise.
"In hindsight, when I look at it now, it's the best thing that has happened for me. I wanted to go and experience as this is the place where we haven't played so much as there's big gap of four years and you forget what conditions were when you played last time," Kohli said in a press conference ahead of team's departure for UK on Friday night.
"I would have gone there feeling 90 percent rather than 110 percent that I feel right now. I would rather be like this as I needed to be fresh for the tour. Although not intended but this is the best thing to have happened," he added.
His poor show during the last tour of England had come under intense scrutiny but Kohli feels that critics have "held on" to the 2014 tour for far "too long".
Kohli's technical deficiency outside the off stump was exposed by James Anderson as he failed to get a single half century in the five Test series that India lost 1-3.
Asked if he is a better batsman, Kohli did express his displeasure at the repeated reference to the 2014 tour.
"I think lot of people have held on to the last tour of England for too long. I think we have had the Champions Trophy (2017) in between and it wasn't held in Bangladesh," the sarcasm wasn't lost on anyone.
That he doesn't like the same question again and again was proved as he spoke about how he looks at a tour.
Asked about his targets this time, he said: "I was asked this on the last tour of England as well. I said I want to walk around and have coffee. So my thinking is different when I go on tour as I try to literally to enjoy the country.
"I know when I am in good zone I play well. I can't think like other people that oh I need to do well. I know what I have to face out there in the middle," the skipper gave a pointed reply.
The skipper made it clear that he is available for the first T20 against Ireland in Dublin on June 27.
"I am hundred percent ready to go. The neck is fine now. I have had six to seven sessions in Mumbai. I have had good practice and I am absolutely ready to go.
"I went through a fitness test as well so body is feeling fine. Actually I am ready to get back to the field which is a very rare thing when you play so much cricket. This kind of break makes you excited to go back to field again," he added.
He reacted sharply when asked about what the team strategy will be.
"Strategy will remain the same that it was in all the previous series. Strategy never changes from series to series. It only happens with those who don't have patience. If we start thinking like you people then it will be a problem," he stated.
‘Pass test and play for India’
Former chairman of selectors Sandeep Patil may have been scathing in his criticism for YoYo test being a benchmark for getting into the Indian team but head coach Ravi Shastri and skipper Virat Kohli made their stand clear - you pass the test, you play for India.
While Shastri in his inimitable manner was clear that YoYo test is here to stay, Kohli said that one should look at it as a "hard call" that benefits the team rather than being emotional.
Recently, one of IPl's top scorers Ambati Rayudu failed to clear the 16.1 mark despite scoring 600 plus runs in IPl. This sparked a debate with former selection committee chairman Patil openly questioning the policy decision.
When Shastri was asked at the team's pre-departure media interaction ahead of the UK tour, he was straight forward in his response.
"You have a certain ability but if you are fit then you can enhance it. That's why we emphasise on YoYo test. If anyone thinks that this is a one-off thing, he is sadly mistaken. He can take a walk," Shastri said in his typical no-nonsense style.
"Philosophy is simple -- you pass you play, you fail, you fail. This is not going to go anywhere. The captain leads from the front, selectors are on same page, entire team management is on the same page and boys have responded tremendously well," the former India captain made it clear as to where he stood on the issue.
Speaking in the same vein, Kohli cited an example as to how the YoYo test parameter has been a proof of stamina and endurance for a fast bowler like Jasprit Bumrah.
"People might not be able to see a small thing that happens when you play a particular Test match but I think that makes a massive difference," Kohli said.
"We are a team that wants to travel well. Jasprit Bumrah was bowling 144 kmph in his last spell during the final Test. That's when one's fitness comes in. When you have people who are fit, hungry and ready, then you are not only competing but also winning matches," the skipper added.
"Either you get emotional and let go (chuck) a policy or take hard calls and move ahead with the system. All those things have come together nicely and we are looking forward towards playing some real hard cricket. We are looking forward towards playing difficult cricket as that's the only way we will be able to test ourself as a team," Kohli signed off.
‘India have best spinners’
Indian team boasts of world's best spinners and it has enough experience in both bowling and batting to outwit hosts England during the upcoming series, said former coach Anil Kumble.
"We have a great side and an all-round side. In bowling we have the experience and bowlers who can take 20 wickets consistently. If you look at the batting line-up, it has a lot of experience as well," he said.
"On average, all the players have played close to 50 Tests. That adds a lot of value and its not the first time that they are touring England. They have all been there before and they are familiar with the conditions," Kumble said.
The former skipper feels India have the best spinners in the world, adding, playing in the second half of the summer in England would help the visitors.
"We have the best spinners in the world and even in terms of conditions the fact that we are playing in the second-half will help our cause. We have a great opportunity to win the series. We shouldn't have a problem operating with Duke ball," he added.
The spin legend said wrist spinners would play an important part in England this time."Wrist spinners will certainly be a handful and they will certainly play an important part in England since this time we are touring in the second half. The wrist spinners will come into the game much earlier than the first half of the summer,” he said.