“Vijay Shankar brings three-dimensional ability to team” - Virat Kohli reiterates MSK Prasad’s statement
Virat Kohli has defended the decision of Vijay Shankar being picked in the Indian team ahead of Ambati Rayudu by stating that the Tamil Nadu all-rounder brings three-dimensional impact to the team. Kohli has further stated that the batting order will be finalised later once the World Cup beckons.
When the selection committee sat together on Monday in Mumbai, they collectively decide to remove Ambati Rayudu in favour of Vijay Shankar, who, the chief selector stated that, brings "three dimensions" to the side. While that led to Rayudu putting up a cryptic tweet, Virat Kohli defended the decision by saying Shankar offers balance to the batting order.
"We tried a lot of things. There were a few combinations that we tried. Eventually, when Vijay came in, it was three dimensional: he can bowl, he can field, he can bat. He is a proper batsman as well. That just gave us an option, saying why not have that kind of balance which other teams have had all these years. From that point of view, we all agreed on it," Kohli told India Today.
Prasad clearly mentioned that the TN all-rounder will bat at the crucial no.4 position which has been a merry-go-round for the Indian team in the last three years. He did so despite the team having the likes of Dinesh Karthik and KL Rahul, who Prasad mentioned that would work as back-ups in the team. Kohli, however, was non-committal to this and stated that would be decided later.
"We are pretty sorted with how we want to go about the World Cup. Obviously, who bats where is the decision for later."