West Indies vs India 2019: Virat Kohli Mentions 4-Bowler Strategy For The First Test

Well, it seems like the Indian National Cricket Team will head into the first Test at Antigua with a 4-bowler strategy. The skipper of the team, Virat Kohli, in the press conference, revealed that they might go with 4 bowlers in the lineup with a part-timer at the top. It certainly indicates that an extra-batsman is set to ready his kit bag.

India will kick-start their World Test Championship against the West Indies on Thursday in Antigua and skipper Virat Kohli gave little insights into the probable playing XI for the first Test.

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Kohli’s love for the specialist bowlers, especially in Test cricket, is no secret but speaking on the eve of the series opener, Kohli hinted that the team might field only four specialist bowlers. Virat Kohli said his team are open to experiments and trying different combinations as he hinted going into the first Test against West Indies with a four-bowler strategy.

We are flexible and open at the moment – Virat Kohli

Kohli addressed the media at the pre-match press conference ahead of the opener in Antigua where he was asked about the possible team combination. The Indian captain said that the team is likely to go ahead with three fast bowlers and one spinner or two spinners-two fast bowlers.

“We could not look at the wicket as it was still covered. After looking at the pitch, it is more or less a choice between three quicks and a spinner or two quicks and two spinners,” Kohli said. The last time England played here, the pitch had quite a variable bounce so all those factors come into play. But we are very flexible and open at the moment.”

“The loss at Perth. It gave us a pretty fair idea of what we needed to do. In terms of going into the next Test in Melbourne and how we needed to approach the game. And that is why we ended up winning the series,” Kohli said. In Test cricket, it is all about correcting your mistakes very fast and learning quickly from your loses. And that is what the Test Championship will bring in as well.”

Well, India have a good pool of fast bowlers to pick from in Jasprit Bumrah, Umesh Yadav, Mohammed Shami and Ishant Sharma while Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav will be vying for the solitary spinner slot if India opts for three pacers and six pure batsmen.

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