Easy to get caught up about Kohli

Ross Taylor doesn’t want New Zealand to follow the Australian approach

New Zealand's senior-most batsman Ross Taylor Monday urged his team to focus on the Indian top-order rather than "get caught up" with run-machine Virat Kohli during the upcoming limited overs series. The tour starts Wednesday with the first ODI here. India will be playing five One-dayers and three T20 Internationals against the 'Black Caps'.

Entering the Test series worried about how to decode Kohli, the Australians recently learnt it the hard way as Cheteshwar Pujara stole the thunder Down Under, helping his team to an epic triumph. Taylor doesn't want his team to follow a similar approach.

"He's (Kohli) a sensational player, the best one-day player going around, easily. It's easy to get caught up in him. You've got two pretty good openers at the top, Sharma and Dhawan, before he gets in," Taylor was quoted as saying by stuff.co.nz.

Taylor had his first net session at the McLean Park after his finger injury during the home series against Sri Lanka. While Kohli averages a staggering 113 in ODIs in 2018, Taylor's average is 92 in the same period across 13 ODIs.

"I've played a few internationals now and understand my role in the team. I've worked on my game and try and rotate the strike early and be as busy as I can. Different shots against spinners at different stages have maybe evolved my game in a positive way," Taylor said.

"But you're still human and you still have to start again, and it's exciting against India."

Ross Taylor praised touring captain Virat Kohli as the best 'one-day player' while cautioning his side against solely focussing on the leader as the men-in-blue have many more match winners.

"He's a sensational player, the best one-day player going around, quite easily," Taylor said.

"It's easy to get caught up in him. (But) you've got two pretty good openers at the top, Sharma and Dhawan, before he gets in."

Like Kohli, Taylor too has been in stellar form, particularly in ODIs. He finished 2018 as New Zealand's most prolific run-scorer before starting the new year with 281 runs from three matches against Sri Lanka.