Virat Kohli, it seems, is a man on a mission. Since December 2013, India have played only one Test in the subcontinent, against Bangladesh, in a match in which Kohli scored only 14 runs. And in his 34-Test career, he has not played a single Test against Sri Lanka.
So it’s no wonder that with a gruelling three-Test away series against the Lankans starting next month, the Test captain doesn’t want to be caught on the wrong foot. He has opted to play in the second and final unofficial ‘Test’ between India A and Australia A at the Chepauk from Wednesday, where conditions will be similar to that in Sri Lanka.
At nets the focus was obviously on the 26-year-old batsman. While Monday saw Kohli getting into the groove after a month-long break, there was no let up in his intensity on the eve of the match, which India A will be aiming to win after drawing the first game last week.
Kohli’s inclusion in the squad has added spice to the series. Australia A’s left-arm spinner Ash ton Agar says although his team doesn’t have a specific plan for the batsman, they will try to throw a spanner in Kohli’s preparations.
“We don’t have a strategy against him. We focus more on ourselves. But it doesn’t mean that we will give him a free that we will give him a free run. Everyone is excited at the opportunity to play against Kohli and every bowler would want to take his wicket,” Agar said at the pre-match press conference.
If Kohli is not leaving any stone unturned in his preparations, captain Cheteshwar Pujara himself has been slogging it out in the nets in a bid to make a comeback into the Test XI. He got good starts in both innings of the first match and will be looking to playing a big knock.
With opener KL Rahul being rested, Pujara will open the innings, sending a message to the Indian team management that he is ready to bat at any position. “Rahul has been rested. I will be opening instead,” Pujara said.
Besides Rahul, pacer Umesh Yadav and in-form leg-spinner Amit Mishra have also been rested keeping in mind the demanding Sri Lanka tour. While Jayant Yadav will replace Mishra in the squad, speedster Varun Aaron, who has recovered from flu, is ready to spearhead the attack.