Kohli spoilt for options in 2nd Test
COLOMBO: Mere hours after India had wrapped up the Gal le Test on Saturday, KL Rahulw as making his way to the dressing room in full batting gear after a long hit in the nets. Some time later, Rohit Sharma also followed him after spending hours honing his batting. The two reminded of the competition for places in the India team right now.
R oh it can vouch for how tough it is to come back into the set-up. After a long injury layoff, Rohit is waiting for his next chance despite three vital half-centuries in his last three Test appearances.
With Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane solid in their positions and Virat Kohli’s confidence in Hardik Pandya --- who made an encouraging debut --the fight for a place in the middle order has got tougher.
This is how competitive the situation gets in a winning combination when everyone is firing. After the first Test, there’s a battery of openers at Kohli’s disposal. It is a completely contrasting situation from their last tour here when it became so grim that Pujara was forced to open in the final Test.
“We’ve got a fourth guy (Vijay) who’s a regular opener for India who’s not fit. We’ve got all four openers firing now. It’s going to be tough (to pick the two openers) but it’s something that any day you’d like to be in this situation rather than having guys that are not scoring,” said Kohli.
For the second Test starting in Colombo, Kohli has been left with the welcome headache of picking two out of Rahul, Shikhar Dhawan and Abhinav Mukund. If declared fully fit, Rahul shouldwalk into the team, having been the first choice opener. Second opener will be either Dhawan or Mukund who is ahead in the pecking order.
Picked in the original team, he is the first-choice opener and Dhawan was a last-minute replacement for Murali Vijay. Also, Mukund was brilliant in the crucial close-in catching position. However, after a blazing 190, Dhawan’s credentials are difficult to ignore.
PACEBOWLING
In the bowling department, competition is equally intense. Bhuvneshwar Kumar opened the bowling in the last Test against Australia in Dharamsala and then led India’s attack in the Champions Trophy. But he had to make way for Mohammed Shami in Galle. In spin, Kuldeep Yadav won India the Dharamsala Test with a four-wicket haul in the first innings. Here however, Yadav will have to wait because Hardik Pandya has started well in the role of an allrounder. For the team balance, skipper Kohli prefers Pandya in the fifth bowler’s role.