Virat Kohli At His Jovial Best With Umpire, Commentators Burst Out Laughing

Karnataka batsman KL Rahul is back to the India test cricket team squad for the 2nd Test match against England, scheduled to take place in Vizag, starting this Thursday. The home side may look to bring fully fit KL Rahul, which may lead to axing of Gautam Gambhir. “That is the challenge that someone who is coming back from injury has; to tell your mind that you are completely fit”. I was at the bench for two Tests in the West Indies and then sat out for the New Zealand Test series.

Virat Kohli’s decision to play five bowlers in the first Test against England in Rajkot came under scrutiny after India managed to draw the match after enduring a mini collapse chasing a target of 310 runs on the final day. “Since the match was happening very close to Vizag, it’s good to have him in the squad and he is available for selection”.

“When asked about his tactics in the fourth innings of the last Test match, Kohli was quick to point out that he wasn’t looking to do anything different”. He is obviously experienced and he has played here before, ‘ says India’s coach.

“It was a draw!” “We lost the toss in Mumbai in 2012 on a turning wicket and we outplayed India”.

Kumble also defended the bowlers, stating that it was a good wicket to bat on and six tons from either side proved that. “They are inexperienced in these conditions but they took a big step forward and it’s great to see that”. “If you look at that, probably if [Cheteshwar] Pujara had taken the DRS, probably it would have been 170 for 1 and probably people would have focussed more on the pitch”. “We did a lot of very good things, just couldn’t quite get over the line”.

England’s raw spin trio of Moeen Ali, Adil Rashid and Zafar Ansari shared 13 wickets between them to force the mighty Indians on the backfoot in the drawn first Test in Rajkot.

But with his 30th Test ton tucked away in his back pocket, a record fifth hundred in India by a visiting batsman, Cook could be a little happier with the demands placed on an England captain.

“Both [Mohammed] Shami and Umesh [Yadav] bowled exceptionally well on that surface”. He noted that it was important to bowl in the right areas and make the batsmen commit errors, but while the Indians tried their best, the Englishmen countered them well. We have caught really well in the last 12 to 14 months.

India’s strength lies in their batting and spin department but the England team have showed that they not only have a formidable batting unit, but their spinners too have been more effective in generating more spin, bounce and trajectory in this Test.