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The India National Cricket Team will be up against the West Indies National Cricket Team for the second ODI match at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium, Guwahati. Ahead of the second match, India's spin bowling coach Sairaj Bahutule attended the pre-match press conference, where he praised Virat Kohli for his brilliant 139-run innings and also backed Rohit Sharma.
Shubman Gill’s side has already taken the 1-0 lead in the three-match series after winning the first match comprehensively by 8 wickets. Gill and Virat Kohli both scored centuries in the match, but it was Virat Kohli's innings that became more special as he came out in a different mode, more aggressive, and broke some records in the match.
"I think he (Virat) is somebody who is just getting better": Sairaj Bahutule praises Virat Kohli
While speaking to the media, Sairaj Bahutule heap praised Virat stating that he wants to get better each day and wants to improve more despite achieving nearly everything in his career which makes him different from the rest.
Apart from that, he also backed Rohit Sharma, who had a good start but failed to convert it, as Bahutule backed the experience of Rohit and Kohli.
He said (as quoted by RevSportz), "I think he (Virat) is somebody who is just getting better with each series and each game. He is somebody who wants to improve in spite of achieving so much, which is fabulous."
"Rohit also being in the side, both of them just bring that experience into the side, which I think all the youngsters rub upon. They thrive upon their experience, the conversations they have. It is definitely something which helps the youngsters by their presence."
Sairaj Bahutule is impressed by Virat Kohli's fitness
Further speaking on Virat Kohli’s fitness work, the spin bowling coach stated that the former India captain has been working on his game and fitness, and it has been inspiring for the youngsters in the dressing room and also all over India. Virat has been an epitome of fitness at the age of 37 as well.
Sairaj added, "Virat is somebody who is constantly working on his game and fitness levels. I think that is very much inspiring, not only to the players in the dressing room, but to a lot of players all over India."
"We can’t really replicate": Sairaj Bahutule on making pitches similar to those in South Africa
Speaking on the pitches that they will get in the ODI World Cup in South Africa, he stated that BCCI cannot make exact pitches here in India, citing an example from the last match pitch at the Greenfield International Stadium, where it had bounce and help for the fast bowlers and spinners; they are looking to make similar pitches to those in South Africa.
"We can’t really replicate the same pitches that are going to be in South Africa. But as you saw in the previous game in Thiruvananthapuram, there was a lot of bounce and plenty of purchase for the fast bowlers and spinners, while it was also excellent to bat on."
"So, we might look at it as something similar to what we can expect in South Africa, where there will be bounce, there might be less turn and conditions could be helpful for the fast bowlers," he added.
