Kohli lauds newcomers

Cricket365
December 21, 2016

Virat Kohli had strong words for his team following India’s 4-0 series win against England, saying the standard to be in his side is high.

India had to chop and change their line-up constantly throughout the series after unexpected injuries plagued the team.

However, the Indian skipper lauded the newcomers that stepped in, explaining that they looked like they were veterans in the team, especially Karun Nair, who scored a triple-hundred in the final test.

“Whoever comes into the team he knows there is a certain benchmark for fitness in the team,” Kohli said.

“Of performance. Of mindset. We want players to be match-ready when they join the India team. You shouldn’t be spending a year in international cricket just learning what to do now.

“You lose a lot of time in that. And many players can’t face that pressure. But if you are prepared, if you are professional, if you know you have to work hard, if you know how to prepare for a game, you have a better chance of performing.

“Like KL Rahul. Like Karun Nair. You can see their performance for yourself. Especially Karun. Replacing a batsman like Ajinkya [Rahane], who has been performing consistently in the last two years in Test cricket.

“To walk in and score a triple-hundred, there couldn’t have been a bigger statement. It shows that the next generation will keep getting smarter looking at others, learning how it is done.

“What we need to do when we reach the Indian team. It is just evolution.

“It is sometimes surprising looking at these youngsters, how quickly they pick things up. They are very smart, and it shows on the field in how they play.”