IND vs AFG 2018: Virat Kohli's Absence Won't Make Much of a Difference - Asghar Stanikzai
Updated - 13 Jun 2018, 02:45 PM
Afghanistan skipper, Asghar Stanikzai has said Virat Kohli’s absence will not make much of a difference in the upcoming one-off Test against India. The India skipper is currently sidelined with a neck injury.
Kohli was not a part of the squad anyway. The 29-year old had signed up with Surrey to represent them for June. However, his hopes dashed due to the injury he sustained during the Indian Premier League.
He will undergo a fitness Test at the National Cricket Academy on June 15, a day after the Test starts in Bengaluru.
Kohli’s presence would have surely made the occasion even grander, as Afghanistan are gearing to play their first-ever Test.
However, Stanikzai is not overthinking about it and feels India will not ‘become weak’ because of Kohli’s absence.
At the same time, the Afghan star admitted playing against Kohli would have been a good experience.
“Team depends on 11 players, not one. If Virat Kohli was here, it would have been more fun playing the Test, with the kind of experience he has and the manner in which he plays Test cricket. If you see Team India, all the players are Virat Kohli for us. For us it’s not that Virat Kohli is special or there is no one,” he said.
“Every Indian player is a Virat Kohli. All are good players and have good experience in Test cricket. I think it won’t make a difference if one player comes and goes, it won’t make much of a difference. If Virat Kohli would have been here, we would have enjoyed it, and so is the case if MS Dhoni was around. Even he is not here. A player hopes to play against a tough team. If there is no Virat Kohli, it doesn’t mean that India will become weak. If there is Virat Kohli or not, it will matter less to the Indian team,” he added.
In Kohli’s absence, Ajinkya Rahane will lead the side. Meanwhile, Wriddhiman Saha and Mohammed Shami are also not playing the game.
While Saha is out with an injury, Shami was dropped after he failed the mandatory yo-yo Test.
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Indian National Cricket Team Virat Kohli
