Time to take control of situations as a batting unit: Virat Kohli

“Once we start looking at pink ball, we will start looking at it”, Kumble said. “We will ensure that there is a thin line”, Kumble said while addressing a pre-departure press conference ahead of West Indies tour. Kohli is someone, who does not give up right till the end. And as we have seen in Adelaide 2014-15, he is not afraid to lose, while going for a win. He has done it a number of times.

How he performs as a coach is for the future to judge and it would be premature to play the guessing game when he has yet to deliver even the first ball of his new spell. “Especially as he is someone who has won so many matches for the country and knows what it requires to win matches both India and overseas”, Kohli said praising Kumble.

Yes, friends, Kohli who is one of the greatest batsmen of this generation, was seen doing the wicketkeeping on Saturday, during the net session in Bengaluru. This is the biggest advantage of having Anil bhai as coach, and our singular motive to have him here. On his greatest challenge as Indian cricket coach he said, “Consistency”.

The brainstorming session lasted a few hours with the main motive of setting in place plans to lift India to the top of the world rankings, and how the various support systems could play a role in fulfilling that goal. These are the three factors that you look for in a head coach. Anil bhai obviously has all these in abundance.

Rahul is part of the squad to tour the Caribbean and the 24-year-old feels the way Kumble is operating can only be good for the players. “They are more like Indian wickets, and I am sure the Indian bowlers would do just fine”, said McGrath, who is now in Chennai in the capacity of the Director of the MRF Pace Foundation, and will be conducting the regular coaching camp. The best thing about him is if it is seaming or swinging, he can bowl conventional line and lengths but if it is reverse swinging, he knows exactly where to bring in the bowl from. We have been working with him on his mental strength. West Indies might have been the same formidable side they once used to be till 90’s still no Indian side has been able to win more than one Test in the Caribbean. “You would want to dominate the game and losing early wickets means that you are always playing a catch-up game”, Kohli added.