Virat Kohli: New players have a limited period to prove themselves

The team management needs to firm up a team combination for the T20 World Cup in 2020, and each individual will get limited opportunities to prove himself, says Kohli.

Published : Sep 15, 2019 19:37 IST , New Delhi

Virat Kohli (centre) with Rahul Chahar (left) and Krunal Pandya (right) at a practice session in Dharamsala.
Virat Kohli (centre) with Rahul Chahar (left) and Krunal Pandya (right) at a practice session in Dharamsala.
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Virat Kohli (centre) with Rahul Chahar (left) and Krunal Pandya (right) at a practice session in Dharamsala.

New players handed opportunities to play T20s for India before the T20 World Cup in 2020 have a short time span to prove themselves, captain Virat Kohli has said. The Indian team will play about 30 T20I matches before the mega event.

“We are very clear. It is not that anyone will get 30 chances. Even when I came in the team, I didn’t think I will get 15-20 games and I knew I will mostly get chances in three to five games and I have to prove myself. One will get suppose five chances and he will have to prove himself. That is the level we are playing at. As the team management has that mindset, the individual should also have the same,” Kohli said in an interaction with bcci.tv .

‘Delicate balance’

“It is a delicate balance to strike but as we have 30 games before it (the World Cup), so we have to figure out how much time each individual gets,” he added.

Asked whether the roadmap for the T20 World Cup starts from Sunday, when India takes on South Africa in Dharamsala, Kohli said: “We feel both the T20Is and the Test championship are in our focus as both of them are milestones and that is why youngsters are being pushed in from time to time as it is important to settle the team combination because we have to figure out the guys who will take the team forward.”

Misinterpreted

Earlier on Thursday, Kohli had tweeted a picture of him sitting on his haunches with M. S. Dhoni on the other end after India had defeated Australia in a league game at the 2016 World T20 in Mohali. “A game I can never forget. Special night. This man, made me run like in a fitness test,” Kohli had tweeted. It led to the rumours of Dhoni’s retirement in social media.

 

Clarifying on the matter, Kohli explained: “I posted about that Mohali game with M. S. as it was a very special game and people thought he is retiring. I just don’t know as where did my caption read ‘thanks M. S.’ or any such things.”

“I was like.....whatever goes in their [people’s] mind, they relate it,” he concluded.

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