Speaking on the eve of the second Test between India and Sri Lanka, hosts’ skipper Virat Kohli expressed dismay at India’s hectic schedule in the lead up to the South Africa tour at the end of the year.
“As usual cramped for time, which I think we needed to assess in future as well because we very easily assess the team when go abroad but we don’t look at how many days we have got to prepare before we go to a particular place to play,” Kohli said at the pre-match press conference at Nagpur.
India are set to depart for their South Africa tour just two day after finishing their engagements against Sri Lanka on December 27. Their final T20I against the islanders will be held on December 24. Kohli’s men will play their lone two-day warm-up game beginning on December 30 before turning up for the first Test against the Proteas on January 5.
“Unfortunately we get only two days before we fly to South Africa after this series gets over. So we have no choice but try to be in a game situation and think of what’s coming ahead of us,” Kohli remarked.
“Had we got a month off ideally, we would have done a proper preparation in a camp sort of scenario but we have to sort of make do with what we have,” he added.
Kohli also refused to commit to a two-spinners attack abroad.
The 29-year-old said that due to the lack of time for preparations for the South Africa sojourn, the hosts have been forced to develop green tops in the ongoing Sri Lanka series to fine tune their game.
“As usual cramped for time, which I think we needed to assess in future as well because we very easily assess the team when go abroad but we don’t look at how many days we have got to prepare before we go to a particular place to play.
“Everyone starts judging players when results come after Test matches. It should be a fair game where we get to prepare the way we want to and then we are entitled to be criticised.
“So we thought this is an ample opportunity for us to challenge ourselves, put us in a situation,” Kohli said,
The Indian skipper also said that he cannot promise to play with two-spinners attacks in Test abroad despite Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja’s impressive run with the red-ball.
“I can’t commit to that 100 percent when we play abroad that we will be playing with two spinners, to be honest because we need to have a look at the balance of the side as well. Obviously, those two guys with their batting abilities are both contenders to start a Test match abroad,” Kohli said.
India and Sri Lanka had played out a draw in the opening Test at Kolkata and both sides will be looking to strike the first-blow in the three-match series during the second Test at Nagpur starting on Friday.
