The India captain will make the decision to play the tour match based on “how do I wake up tomorrow” and “if I feel good”
Virat Kohli could miss India’s three-day preparation match before the Day-Night Test in Adelaide. Most of the team’s players will come to the day-night event with only prior experience of playing first-class cricket at night, in the event against Bangladesh. However, having played six limited internationals in 12 days, Kohli does not want to risk being less than 100% for the Test, the only one he will play before leaving for paternity leave.
“Let’s see how I wake up tomorrow,” Kohli said in the post-match presentation after the final T20I at SCG. “You know, I can’t play half and half. That’s me. I can’t just sit back and do the moves. I need to wake up in the morning and see. If I feel good, I will definitely play. If not, I’ll talk to the physical therapist and the coach. and I’ll take a few days off and be fresh for the first test. “
Each player has their own set-up ideas, and Kohli has generally not been a fan of low-intensity warm-up games. Instead, he prefers shorter, sharper, and more intense networking sessions. Add to that the stress players must be going through having left their homes long before the IPL and going from one bubble to another and playing all the cricket they have.
“I think before we go to the first test, the feeling we want to have is that our games are at an acceptable level,” Kohli said later at the press conference. “But more important than that is that you are physically fresh. We cannot afford the slightest discomfort or muscle strain. That is the highest priority for us: keeping our main players in good physical shape. To start the test series well, we will need to our 11 fittest players on the field. “
This was perhaps why India’s leading fast bowlers took it easy during the first warm-up game, which, for a change, turned out to be a first-class, high-intensity match against a strong A-team from Australia. In the end, Wriddhiman Saha and last man Kartik Tyagi had to dig deep to avoid a loss to Australia A in three days.
“You don’t want the guys starting the test match to feel sore or feel like their legs have traveled too many miles,” Kohli said. “So we keep constantly communicating with bowlers, asking them how their bodies feel, and they have been quite professional and very good at communicating what they need. We need to show absolute trust and faith in their processes and make sure you are in the space of correct head for the first test. “
However, the three-day match at SCG is an important opportunity to get used to playing the pink ball in Australia and also to resolve doubts about its combination. Mayank Agarwal, who played neither the T20Is nor the first warm-up game, will want to get used to opening long again, especially considering Prithvi Shaw and Shubman Gill didn’t score highly in his absence. India will also need to start looking for and preparing Kohli’s replacement for the last three tests.
It will be interesting to see if Rishabh Pant has a chance to present a case for himself after he missed out on the opener. In his absence, Saha made those crucial runs to save India’s blush. Umesh Yadav will look to build on the good work done and seal her place as the third seamer.
However, for India to try all of their options, they may have to apply to change the state of the game from a proper top-class match, as it was the day before, to a touring game where they are allowed to play as many players as long as only 11 bats and field. Australia seems to have chosen its A-side with a proper top-class match in mind, but the hosts are generally accommodating if visitors request it.
Sidharth Monga is assistant editor at ESPNcricinfo
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