AUSTRALIA V INDIA, 2020
“I wish (Natarajan) all the best and I hope he continues to work hard at his game and improve” – Kohli © Getty
Indian skipper Virat Kohli praised left back T Natarajan after the third and final T20I against Australia in Sydney. Natarajan, selected in the national team for the first time, collected six wickets in the three T20Is with an economy of just under 7 and was instrumental in India securing the series 2-1. Kohli praised the 29-year-old’s work ethic and revealed that he could be a useful asset heading into the T20 World Cup at home next year.
“In the absence of Shami and Bumrah, he has been the guy who has stood up and has really delivered under pressure, which is outstanding for the fact that he is playing his first international matches and seems very collected,” Kohli said after La India’s 12-run loss on dead rubber. “He’s very sure of what he wants to do, he’s a very hard-working guy, a very humble guy. And you feel happy for the guys who are committed and working hard for the team, when they get the results and make the team win.”
“I wish him all the best and I hope he continues to work hard on his game and improve. Because a pitcher with his left arm is always an advantage for any team and if he can throw that well and consistently, I think ‘It will be a great thing. for us for the World Cup next year. ”
On his own performances, Kohli revealed that he was happy with his departure (61 balls 85) on Tuesday (December 8) and is hopeful to carry forward the momentum in the opening test. “I think I’m in the right space,” Kohli said. “It was a little rough in the first ODI to begin with, but then I tackled a few things and worked on some aspects of my game that I wanted to just get into the best possible mental space because I’ve never been a fan of overthinking technique.
“I think when I get into a good mental space is when I feel like I can play and switch between all the formats and adjust to the conditions as well. It’s about staying in that mental space and making sure I contribute enough to the success of the team. and hopefully start on the right note in the test series. ”
Kohli also addressed the confusion surrounding India’s attempt to challenge the referee’s decision on the field against Matthew Wade during Australia’s innings. Despite India using the review within 15 seconds, the appeal was not pursued as the replay of the installment had already been shown on the big screen before Kohli could take the call. “That LBW was weird because we were still arguing whether the ball fell or what,” he recalled. “And within 15 seconds they showed the replay on the screen. We decided to go to the review.
“I had a talk with Rod about what to do in this situation and he said nothing can be done because it was a television mistake. But we felt that, as administration, we had to get the message across that these mistakes cannot be made.” . at the highest level and in a very important game, this could be very expensive. So the TV guys got a bit lost and I’m sure in the future you don’t want to be in a losing situation. at a very important moment in the game. ”
The 32-year-old also dismissed suggestions to keep Hardik Pandya on the team for the test series. Hardik, who was named player of the series, has not been chosen on the test team as he is not yet fully fit for bowling. Kohli stressed the importance of Hardik’s off-roading skills in testing and is hopeful that he will play full throttle in all formats in the future.
“Test cricket is a completely different challenge,” Kohli noted. “We need him to bowl, we’ve talked to him about it. That’s when he becomes the only guy who brings us a lot of balance if you’ve also seen our cricket abroad. In South Africa and England too, we were able to compete for longer periods. lengths in the test matches because it brought a lot of balance in terms of balance.
“He’s definitely in that zone where he wants to be stronger and solve all his problems. He wants to be available to India in all three disciplines and that has always been his X-factor. In white ball cricket, the way he hits the ball. ball, we’ve found someone who can finish games consistently. He wants to go back to bowling himself and then he’ll be available as a pure all-rounder in Trials, which becomes much more important because for five days you need that little bit more of a guy who knows how to hit and throw the ball. He understands that he will work very hard to get back in shape than ever. ”
On the lessons learned from the white ball stage of the tour, Kohli expressed satisfaction with the team’s never-dying attitude and mentioned that the team’s management will stand behind the people, in the hope that they will thrive in that environment. “One thing I’ve learned from the last six games is that we are a team that will show faith and try to find ways to win the game and not necessarily give up at any point,” Kohli said. “That will be the hallmark of our team heading into the World Cup next year. Communication from me and from management has been quite simple. We are going to stand behind people at all times and all we hope is that they come out. onto the field and make sure they’re looking for situations and playing accordingly and staying committed to the team’s goal.
“We have taken the focus off individual performances and focused more on associations and made sure to play well in associations, hit well in associations and have an impact. So from a team point of view, it’s a Really encouraging sign for us and for us. We have to remember to carry it forward to whatever game we play. That is the only way you survive internationally. Beyond your own performance and overthinking technique and this kind of thing, I think. that belief and passion attract you more often than being calculating from here. ”
Kohli was also pleased to have the crowd at the stadiums in the context of the ever-evolving Covid-19 pandemic. With all of the IPL and most of the two-way tournaments around the world being played behind closed doors, Kohli noted that it was a welcome change to see the fans prodding players into tough situations. “This has been a nice change if I have to be honest,” he admitted. “Sometimes you find yourself in tough situations and then the energy and passion of the fans helps you get ahead, which has been a wonderful addition to this short-form series. That’s something that as cricketers we have always enjoyed experiencing. during these years.
“This just gives you an added extra boost and makes you go beyond your limitations, so to speak. I’ve certainly experienced that in the last six games it pushes you beyond your own vacillations and expectations and then you go into that headspace. competitive where you only care about one thing: making the team win and making sure you contribute to that cause. ”
© Cricbuzz
