West Indies vs India | Great opportunity for guys stepping in to cement their spot, says Virat Kohli
Virat Kohli reckons that the West Indies tour is a great opportunity for the new players in the squad to cement their spot in the side, ahead of the upcoming T20 World Cup. In the absence of big names like Hardik Pandya, MS Dhoni and Jasprit Bumrah, the focus will now be on the future stars.
Team India is looking to put aside their World Cup heartbreak and start fresh in the tour of the West Indies. As part of looking ahead to the T20 World Cup, and beyond, India have picked a very young side for the shorter formats of the game. Captain Kohli is confident that the youngsters will step up to the role.
“Not having Hardik Pandya and M.S. Dhoni, the two finishers around, is different to what we are used to but also, as I said, it is an opportunity for the guys who are coming up. They play in front of 40 to 50,000 people regularly. They score against top players and also get them out. It will not be too intimidating for them and we have a lot of belief in their abilities,” Kohli was quoted saying by Sportstar.
India are without some of the game’s big names. For the first time, Rishabh Pant has been picked as the number cricket wicke-keeper batsman in the side. This is in accordance with the BCCI’s roadmap to replace veteran Dhoni in the coming years.Â
"Dhoni’s experience has been a crucial factor for us. But it is a great chance for Rishabh Pant to play more international cricket, show his potential and we all want him to become a consistent performer for the Indian cricket team. MS’ experience remains to be a crucial factor but these youngsters should look forward to the opportunity," Kohli said.
The Men in Blues are set to play a strong of T20I games before the World Cup kicks off in Australia late next year. Kohli said that the team will look to exploit these opportunities to pick the best combination.Â
"We have 25 to 26 games before the T20 World Cup. You need to see what combination you can make through these games depending on the conditions. It is a normal process at this level. There is not a single match that you can take lightly. If you need confidence, you need results as well. It boils down to the players eventually. We will try to pick our best XV through these games," Kohli added.
India’s kick off their T20 series against West Indies on Saturday in Florida.
