After the World Cup, there were reports that India captain, Virat Kohli, could skip the tour to West Indies to manage the workload. But it came as a surprise when Kohli was named in all three Indian squads for the tour of the USA and Caribbean.
On Monday -- hours before jetting out to the USA for the first two T20Is -- Kohli revealed that there was no plan to take a break after the World Cup as there was no intimation from either the physio or the trainer on the workload.
“Our rest period is put on record, it is all on email to the Board. It is done by the trainer and physio together, so I don’t know what report they have created, I honestly haven’t seen it,” he said.
“They hadn’t had any conversations with the players till that point of time. I averaged about 15 kilometers a game in the World Cup, so it really depends on those two professionals. Everyone is doing a job, everyone is assigned with responsibility so.. I don’t know the communication which was sent out to selectors, nothing was communicated to me in terms of rest.”
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The captain also admitted that the West Indies tour will be exciting for the team as a lot of youngsters have been drafted into the side.
“West Indies obviously is a great place to go and play cricket. It is a relaxed place, we all have enjoyed playing cricket there. When I met the selectors, the basic message from them was to try out a few players that they had in mind, and I think it is a very exciting opportunity for all the guys who are stepping in for the first time (in T20Is),” Kohli said.
The ODI side, Kohli feels, is more or less balanced. “We have been really doing well. The Test side, needless to say, the kind of performances we have put in, so I am particularly excited about the three T20Is, because a lot of new players coming in, some players who have done really well in the format and shown great composure under pressure in tournaments like IPL, domestically as well. So it’s a great marker for all those guys and us as a team as well to have them in the squad,” the captain said.
The Indian team went into the World Cup as a favourite but crashed out of the tournament with the loss to New Zealand in the semifinals.
Kohli admitted that with an action-packed season ahead, it is important to regroup. “There is T20 World Cup next year, there is always something to look forward to. We all were disappointed with not going through to the finals and probably winning the World Cup, but you have to move on and accept defeat as well. Move forward and look forward to new things….”
“With new players coming, it is an opportunity for them to establish their skills. For me as a captain to have new players in the side, get them together, I think international cricket always presents you with opportunities and challenges which I always look forward to,” Kohli said.
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