Ashwin & Jadeja’s future in SA tour is not assured, says Virat Kohli

Indian team already looks solid on paper with all the bases covered. With not enough time left for the Indians to prepare for the futuristic tour of South Africa, Virat Kohli has requested for conditions to prepare for South Africa series that is next in line.

Virat Kohli’s recent statement on Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja’s future stunned the cricket fraternity. Kohli said that he is not assured of both Ravi’s places in the futuristic South Africa tour because the team should have a fair amount of balance.

“I can’t commit to that 100 percent when we play abroad that we will be playing with two spinners, to be honest. It is because we need to have a look at the balance of the side as well.

Obviously, those two guys with their batting abilities are both contenders to start a Test match depending upon the batsmen we are up against in the opposition,” Kohli said during the presser.

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Even in the conditions that were well conducive to seamers, Virat Kohli did opt for seamers than spinners in the Eden Gardens Test. Ravi Ashwin and Ravi Jadeja got just limited chances to bowl.

With a blend of humid and little dusty pitch, the seamers are more likely to make most of the chances on the wicket that will produce swing, seam, bounce to the pacers.

According to Virat Kohli, spinners’ inclusion in overseas conditions can make a huge difference against them at some stage.

“It’s very important to understand if a left-arm spinner is bowling to five right-handers or the off-spinner is bowling to four left-handers. Just because of the angle the ball coming in makes so much difference against a spinner.

And it can turn away from you at some stage in the Test match. Those are minor factors that you assess before picking the first spinner in overseas conditions,” he added.

“That won’t matter because, obviously you have to look at what you are playing at, what kind of wicket you are playing on and pick the team accordingly.

I don’t think the past record should matter a lot because you can see totally different wickets at venues when you play at different times,” he added.

Virat Kohli also cited the ongoing Ashes Test as an example. He said that everything is based on the type of wicket the match is being played.

“For example, the Ashes Test match going on right now doesn’t seem to be the usual Gabba wicket that we see with a lot of pace, bounce and carry. So, it all depends on what you are playing on and then select the team accordingly,” Virat Kohli signed off.