Virat Kohli on Monday said that he will be very happy if current head coach Ravi Shastri continues in his role after his term comes to an end.
Virat Kohli on Monday said that he will be very happy if current head coach Ravi Shastri continues in his role after his term comes to an end.
Addressing the media in the pre-departure press conference ahead of the tour of West Indies, Kohli said, “The CAC hasn’t contacted me yet. If they want my opinion, I’ll go and speak to them. With Ravi Bhai, we share a great camaraderie, and will definitely be very happy if he continues. But I haven’t been contacted so far.”
Under the leadership of Virat Kohli and Shastri, India have made it to the top of the Test rankings, while they occupied the second spot in the ODIs.
He also shares a good rapport with the players and is well-known for his man-management. he deadline for the applications end on July 30 and BCCI is likely to take a within mid-August. CAC member has already voiced his opinion on retaining Ravi Shastri for the role for the head coach.
When Shastri was asked about the disappointment of facing an exit in the sem-final, the 57-year-old said, “Winning the World Cup would’ve been the icing on the cake, but that takes nothing away from the boys’ performance.”
It’s an important time for the team to regroup. I know we were all very disappointed with not going into the World Cup final, but we have to move on,” added Kohli.
Shastri also dismissed reports of “players wives fighting” with a cheeky response, “Very soon you will read also wives batting and bowling, then what do you want me to do?”
Kohli also stepped in and said, “In my opinion it’s baffling to be honest. It’s absolutely ridiculous to read such stuff that comes out. I have been to a few public events and the sentiment is ‘aap log kya khele (you guys played so well)’.”
“We are feeding off lies. We are overlooking facts. We are turning a blind eye to all the good things that has happened. We are creating fantasies and scenarios in our head and want to accept that this is the truth,” he added.
Apart from dismissing the rumours, Shastri also said that there is no scope of such nonsense in the team and stated that no individual is greater than the team.
Meanwhile, speaking on the Test championship, Kohli said, “I think it’s a good thing. Test cricket really needed a boost. I think for all the cricketers now, every session will be more intense. All the teams are going to enjoy a lot more. For me, nothing comes above Test cricket.”
“With T20I World Cup next year, the focus was bound to shift to T20Is. But the Test Championship will keep the focus on? Test cricket. With three formats, things will continue to shift rapidly.”
On team India’s squad composition, he said, “The basic message was to try out a few players they had in mind. The ODI side is more or less balanced. I am particularly excited about the first three T20Is. Some youngsters have shown great composure in tournaments such as the IPL.”
It will be a new start after the disappointment of the World Cup but Kohli admitted that the team is yet to sort out the middle-order conundrum and joked that they might need a “crystal maze”.
“I don’t know whether it will have to be explained through a crystal maze,” he said with a laugh.
On a serious note, he felt that the Indian middle-order had been a target of “unfair criticism” being judged on the basis of one or two performances.
“It’s very subjective and situation-based. Sometimes you say you have the best top order in the world, which you can agree with; it leads to middle order getting just one or two opportunities, then we judge it based on it. I don’t know how to strike balance in it,” the skipper said
Kohli also spoke on the selection of Ajinkya Rahane and said, “We chose him (Rohit) over Jinx (in the South Africa Test series) because of the way he (Rohit) was playing. But Jinx is a solid player as well. We’ve all seen the impact he can make with the slip catching and everything. I don’t think we should jump the gun. But I think he will come around. Jinx will also come in, and he can start stringing in scores. He really wants on turn it around.”
Contrary to earlier reports, Kohli did attend the team press conference before India travel to the United States and West Indies for a full-fledged tour.
Team India is scheduled to depart for the tour on Monday and are scheduled to play two T20I games against West Indies on 3rd and 4th in Florida before crossing across to the Carribean for rest of the tour.
Addressing the media in the pre-departure press conference ahead of the tour of West Indies, Kohli said, “The CAC hasn’t contacted me yet. If they want my opinion, I’ll go and speak to them. With Ravi Bhai, we share a great camaraderie, and will definitely be very happy if he continues. But I haven’t been contacted so far.”
Under the leadership of Virat Kohli and Shastri, India have made it to the top of the Test rankings, while they occupied the second spot in the ODIs.
He also shares a good rapport with the players and is well-known for his man-management. he deadline for the applications end on July 30 and BCCI is likely to take a within mid-August. CAC member has already voiced his opinion on retaining Ravi Shastri for the role for the head coach.
When Shastri was asked about the disappointment of facing an exit in the sem-final, the 57-year-old said, “Winning the World Cup would’ve been the icing on the cake, but that takes nothing away from the boys’ performance.”
It’s an important time for the team to regroup. I know we were all very disappointed with not going into the World Cup final, but we have to move on,” added Kohli.
Shastri also dismissed reports of “players wives fighting” with a cheeky response, “Very soon you will read also wives batting and bowling, then what do you want me to do?”
Kohli also stepped in and said, “In my opinion it’s baffling to be honest. It’s absolutely ridiculous to read such stuff that comes out. I have been to a few public events and the sentiment is ‘aap log kya khele (you guys played so well)’.”
“We are feeding off lies. We are overlooking facts. We are turning a blind eye to all the good things that has happened. We are creating fantasies and scenarios in our head and want to accept that this is the truth,” he added.
Apart from dismissing the rumours, Shastri also said that there is no scope of such nonsense in the team and stated that no individual is greater than the team.
Meanwhile, speaking on the Test championship, Kohli said, “I think it’s a good thing. Test cricket really needed a boost. I think for all the cricketers now, every session will be more intense. All the teams are going to enjoy a lot more. For me, nothing comes above Test cricket.”
“With T20I World Cup next year, the focus was bound to shift to T20Is. But the Test Championship will keep the focus on? Test cricket. With three formats, things will continue to shift rapidly.”
On team India’s squad composition, he said, “The basic message was to try out a few players they had in mind. The ODI side is more or less balanced. I am particularly excited about the first three T20Is. Some youngsters have shown great composure in tournaments such as the IPL.”
It will be a new start after the disappointment of the World Cup but Kohli admitted that the team is yet to sort out the middle-order conundrum and joked that they might need a “crystal maze”.
“I don’t know whether it will have to be explained through a crystal maze,” he said with a laugh.
On a serious note, he felt that the Indian middle-order had been a target of “unfair criticism” being judged on the basis of one or two performances.
“It’s very subjective and situation-based. Sometimes you say you have the best top order in the world, which you can agree with; it leads to middle order getting just one or two opportunities, then we judge it based on it. I don’t know how to strike balance in it,” the skipper said
Kohli also spoke on the selection of Ajinkya Rahane and said, “We chose him (Rohit) over Jinx (in the South Africa Test series) because of the way he (Rohit) was playing. But Jinx is a solid player as well. We’ve all seen the impact he can make with the slip catching and everything. I don’t think we should jump the gun. But I think he will come around. Jinx will also come in, and he can start stringing in scores. He really wants on turn it around.”
Contrary to earlier reports, Kohli did attend the team press conference before India travel to the United States and West Indies for a full-fledged tour.
Team India is scheduled to depart for the tour on Monday and are scheduled to play two T20I games against West Indies on 3rd and 4th in Florida before crossing across to the Carribean for rest of the tour.