India captain Virat Kohli has expressed regret at not having perfect balance on the team with the lack of an off-road bowling alley, especially as Hardik Pandya was not fit enough to pitch in the first ODI.
Hardik Pandya was the best scorer for India in the 1st ODI. (AP Photo)
HIGHLIGHT
- Virat Kohli pointed out the team’s lack of balance after the defeat in 1st ODI
- Australia took a 1-0 lead after 66 wins in the SCG in the series opener
- Kohli revealed that Hardik Pandya is not yet fit for bowling
Hosts Australia achieved a 66-run victory, in a rather one-sided affair, in the first ODI against India at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG). It was clear that India was missing many important elements in their hitting and bowling, and captain Virat Kohli has pointed out that it was the team’s lack of balance, among other factors.
“We have enough time to prepare, I don’t think there are excuses on the field when you don’t stop as a winger. Probably the first long game we’ve played in a long time, we’ve been playing T20 cricket. But with that said, we’ve all played a lot of ODI cricket. Body language after 25-26 overs was not great. A quality team will hurt you (if you have flaws on the pitch), ”Virat Kohli said in the post-match presentation.
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Hardik Pandya batted at No. 6 and scored best for India with a 90 of 76 balls, but couldn’t chase the massive 375 goal set by Australia driven by Steve Smith and Aaron Finch hundreds. Kohli noted that the fact that Pandya is still not fit enough to bowl is detrimental for India, especially if you look at all-rounders Marcus Stoinis and Glenn Maxwell doing it for Australia.
“We will have to find ways to get some A’s from some part-time workers on the side. Unfortunately, Hardik isn’t ready to go bowling yet, so we have to accept and fix it. That is an area that we have looked at, which is a very important part of any team’s balance. Stoinis and Glenn (Maxwell) do it for Australia. The key to keeping hitters at bay is to clear the wickets and we couldn’t do that, ”he added.
Virat Kohli, however, kept hitting for India that was led by Hardik Pandya on Friday, at the SCG.
“From a hitting point of view, now we had a short chat. All the hitters committed to him and that’s why you saw us play with intention. I think we gave ourselves the best chance. Hardik’s entries were the best example of that. As a batting unit, we committed very well to positive cricket and we will do so in the future as well, ”concluded Kohli.
