Opening Partnership In Overseas Conditions Is Crucial - Virat Kohli Lauds KL Rahul, Rohit Sharma

India captain Virat Kohli was effusive in his praise for Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul for providing the side with solid platforms both at Trent Bridge and at Lord’s. The skipper highlighted the difficulties openers face in overseas conditions, but Sharma and Rahul have been “outstanding”, in his opinion.

In the first Test, both the right-handers forged a 97-run opening stand. They did even better in the second Test: after being asked to bat first in challenging overcast conditions, Sharma and Rahul battled for 43 overs for a record 126-run partnership.

Virat Kohli, speaking on the eve of the third Test, underpinned India’s dominant position in both matches on the opening partnerships. He commended both batsmen for the way they tackled the English bowlers and conditions.

“Opening combination when you play overseas is one of the most important factors. The way KL and Rohit have played has been outstanding and we hope they continue in the same manner,” Virat Kohli said in the pre-match presser on Tuesday.

“The opening partnership in overseas conditions is crucial to set up the platform for the team to build on. That’s something they’ve provided us in both games. That we were in a winning position in the first game and we won the second Test after being put in is purely because of the way they applied themselves, their skill and precision with which they batted,” he added.

“We don’t have any reason to change anything unless people have niggles, which we haven’t encountered since we finished the last Test. A winning combination, you don’t want to disturb. Especially after the team has achieved such an incredible win in the second Test and players are even more excited to take field again,” he further stated.