Really impressed with Jayant Yadav: Kohli

December 07, 2016 04:46 pm | Updated December 08, 2016 02:52 am IST - MUMBAI

Virat Kohli

Virat Kohli

India captain Virat Kohli said he’s happy with Jayant Yadav’s showing so far.

“I am very impressed. You can call him an all-rounder now; I haven’t had to tell anything to him honestly. He sets his own fields and he knows exactly where he wants to bowl. Sometimes I ask for the mid-on to be back, he urges me to keep it up, he wants the batsman to go after him. So he is pretty confident of his skills, which is pretty evident and which will only come with professionalism. He practices his skills very well. He is fit, he understands the game, he is an intelligent guy. He is a great package for Team India.

In the years to come, we will see a lot more match-winning performances from him because he has got all the skills needed to be a very good Test player. I have been really, really impressed.”

Eight-day gap between Mohali and Mumbai : We didn’t ask for the gap, it was part of the schedule. We will make sure when we go there (to England) we also have eight days’ gap after three Tests and a 25-day gap between ODIs and Tests. We didn’t ask for it, but seeing the long season ahead, it did us no harm. It actually helped us rest a bit, reflect on what we have done in the two games that we have won, visualise again and come back even more fresh compared to the last two Test matches. It was a good thing that happened and certainly benefited from it.

Going away from cricket : It’s very important even when you go home during the break. Honestly, between the series you can’t completely switch off because it will always be there on your mind as to what you have to do in a match. As a captain you will keep thinking about the combinations you can play, how the wicket will be, but not too much. It’s important that you enjoy life beyond your profession.

Results post West Indies tour : It has been a mixed bag, of people getting injured and at the same time playing guys who we feel are suitable to play on a particular wicket, especially the bowlers. I think the batting order hasn’t changed much. We have continued with the same squad, we haven’t looked to make many changes because it is important for the guys to feel that they are part of a bigger plan which is to be a good Test side for a long period of time and for that you need to back the guys, and keep them in the squad and practice with the whole team.

Runs from lower order and Rahane’s dip in form : The lower order contributions obviously help big time, but you can’t necessarily bat in a different way thinking that my lower order is going to take care of the situation. Obviously you want to make sure that you make the situation easy for the guys coming in next and that is the whole motive of the team.

Vijay got a hundred in the first innings of the series. Both are solid players. I didn’t have any score to be proud of during the New Zealand series, Ajinkya stepped in. It is all about covering for another guy who is probably not getting runs when he wants to get and that is what team sport is all about.

We don’t believe in picking out individuals and say that this is the one who is not playing well or this one is playing extraordinarily well. We compensate for someone who has not been able to get runs and that is how the team goes forward and that is how you pick your teammates and move forward. That has been our aim.

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