ENG vs IND, 2nd Test: Captain Kohli Says Batting Sorted, Hints Ashwin May Not Play
India skipper Virat Kohli has hinted that the team management won't shore up batting by bringing in R Ashwin as replacement for injured pacer Shardul Thakur and will instead stick to the combinati
Thakur, who was picked for last week's first Test due to his ability to bat, has been ruled out of second Test due to myofascial strain on his left hamstring. Ashwin, who has bowled well in recent times and can bat too, may have been a suitable replacement. He scored a century in the second Test of the home series against England in Chennai in February.
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"The good thing is that Jadeja has got runs in the first Test already. So he will go into the second game confident. That already makes our batting a bit deeper. Lower order contributed with the bat as well," said Kohli to media on the eve of the second Test that begins on Thursday.
"Shardul brings in more batting ability [to the side]. But having said that, from the batting point of view we are well placed because Pujara, Jinks (Ajinkya Rahane) and myself... Rohit and KL played very well [in the first Test]. So we are comfortable with where we are placed as a batting unit and we don't feel we might be a batsman short if Shardul doesn't play," added Kohli.
The 32-year-old Kohli said the priority of the team is to pick 20 wickets of the opposition.
