Friday 18 / October / 2024
Bengaluru: With Indian cricket team geared up for their busiest Test season comprising 17 five-day games, skipper Virat Kohli aptly stated that the coming days will be an indicator as to how they have shaped up as a Test unit.
"This is the perfect situation and opportunity to challenge and assess ourselves as a Test team. These months will define how we play as a Test team in coming years," Kohli said at the pre-departure media conference ahead of Indian team's tour of the West Indies.
Hailing Anil Kumble's appointment as the team's head coach, the Indian skipper said that now they have a man, who can also tell them how to win Test matches abroad.
"It is a huge boost for us that Anil bhai is our coach. Bowlers will feel more support due to his presence. 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 abroad," Kohli said praising Kumble.
The skipper also pointed out how Kumble has brought a refreshing change to the team bonding sessions.
"Yesterday, he arranged a team activity (cricketers had a Drum Circle session with Vasundhara Das's group) and it was fun. It was a surprise for us. Often due to the rigours of international cricket, we forget about team bonding session.
"These sessions helps in build camaraderie which shows on field. Even Dhoni bhai, who came for the meeting (Roadmap) joined us and enjoyed the session," Kohli said mentioning that the limited overs captain also gave his inputs on the tour ahead.
Glovesman Wriddhiman Saha's batting has been under scanner and KL Rahul is in the squad as the reserve keeper but Kohli made it clear that it would be the Bengal lad, who firmly remains the first-choice behind the stumps.
Meanwhile, India's new head coach Anil Kumble admires Test captain Virat Kohli's aggression and will not try to curb his natural instincts.
The Delhi cricketer was initially perceived as another brash personality from the streets of a city long accused of encouraging aggression in its youth, having often been involved in wars of words with opponents on the field.
Former India captain Kumble's appointment as coach was welcomed by many who expect the former leg-spinner to be a calming presence in a team led by an expressive captain.
"I love his aggression," Kumble told reporters sitting alongside Kohli."I was no different, I was also aggressive, very different in terms of the way we probably came across on the field.
"But you don't want to curb aggression. I will be the last person to curb someone's natural instincts," Kumble added.
"But we all know how important it is to be ambassadors of India and to be a part of the Indian cricket team. That everybody understands. We will ensure that there is a thin line and everybody knows that."
India will play four Tests against West Indies and after returning from the Caribbean the world's second-ranked side are set for a busy season at home when they will play 13 Test matches, eight ODIs and three T20 internationals.
"It will be one Test match at a time. It's a long season, we have the opportunity to plan well," Kohli told reporters ahead of the team's departure for the West Indies.
"It will be an opportunity for the team to gel together and execute our plans," he added.
"It will be the perfect situation and opportunity to challenge and assess ourselves as a test team. I feel these few months will determine how India play test cricket in the next few years."
Kumble, India's most successful bowler, capturing 619 wickets in 132 Tests and 337 in 271 One-day Internationals, has just overseen a six-day training camp in Bengaluru.
