Stop the noise, stiffen that defence and obtain on with the sport, a combative Indian skipper Virat Kohli said on Wednesday before the fourth and final Test against England as he navigated persistent queries on the spin-friendly tracks within the country.
India annihilated England inside two days within the Pink-ball Test at Motera, days after the visitors crumbled on another spin-assisting dig in Chennai within the second Test.
England managed 112 and 81 within the Ahmedabad Test after scoring 134 and 164 in Chennai as Ravichandran Ashwin and Axar Patel tormented them in turns.
“There is usually an excessive amount of noise and an excessive amount of conversation about spin tacks,” Kohli said at the pre-match news conference before the fourth and final Test starting here on Thursday.
“I am sure if our media is during a space to contradict those views or present views which say that it’s unfair to criticise only spin tracks, then it’ll be a balanced conversation.”
Kohli, at the top of the third Test, had blamed the batsmen’s technique for his or her failure on the Motera track.
“But the unfortunate bit is everyone plays along side that narrative (spinning tracks) and keeps making it news till the time it’s relevant. then a match game happens, if you win on day 4 or 5, nobody says anything but if it finishes in two days, everyone pounces on an equivalent issue,” he said.
When asked what he thought were the talents required to survive on such challenging spin tracks, Kohli emphasised on having a solid defence, which, he believes, isn’t the strongest anymore because of shorter formats.
“Defence is imperative. due to influence of white-ball cricket, Test cricket is witnessing consistent results but it’s just a by-product in regard to batting that the defence a part of the batting is being compromised,” he said.
“That grind of playing four-five sessions isn’t the main target lately and everybody wants to place on 300-350 runs on the board quickly. Probably people aren’t focussing on defence, they need to modify to other formats, therefore the game is fast paced.
“So definitely the skill is required and it isn’t just the sweep shot. on behalf of me it’s defence. This aspect of batting has gone back a touch .”
Kohli cited one among India’s losses in New Zealand when the team struggled on a seaming pitch. He recalled how it had been the batsmen’s technique, and not the track, that came certain scrutiny.
“We lost in New Zealand on day three in 36 overs. i’m sure none of our people wrote about the pitch. it had been how India played badly in New zealand.
“None of the pitches were criticised, nobody came and saw how the pitch was doing, what proportion the ball was moving and the way much grass was there on the pitch,” he said.
Kohli said his team has been successful over a period of your time for adapting to conditions rather than complaining about them.
“The reason for our success is that we’ve not cribbed about any pitch we’ve played on and that we will still play like that.
“We all got to be honest with ourselves what’s the thought behind continuing this narrative and what purpose it serves people that keep continuing the conversation which is one-sided,” he said.
Now that the competition are going to be played with the red ball, he was asked if the pink ball made it tough for the batsmen, Kohli retorted with a firm no.
“I don’t understand why a ball or a pitch, of these things are brought into focus why don’t we specialise in the very fact that batsmen weren’t skilled enough to play thereon pitch properly. it had been bizarre display of batting by both the teams.
