India’s premier batsman and stand-in-captain Virat Kohli feels that present field restriction rule is an advantage for batsmen only when they are playing in the sub-continent and it will be a completely different ball game during World Cup in Australia, next year.
Kohli, who led the team to a 5-0 clean sweep in the just-concluded one-day series against Sri Lanka, was answering in context to the tall scores made by Indian top-order with Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, Ajinkya Rahane, Ambati Rayudu and the skipper himself helping themselves with a ton each.
“I don’t think that only field restrictions (four fielders outside 30-yard circle) should be attributed to the big scores by the batsmen. Yes, field restrictions are helpful but only in India or sub-continental conditions where the pitches are batsman friendly.
“I don’t think that field restriction can be a factor in a place like Australia,” Kohli said during a media interaction at a promotional event in the capital today.
He went to elaborate his point of view.
“I believe field restrictions of four fielders is a good thing considering that the fight between bat and ball is pretty even and in fact you can say that bowlers enjoy a bit more advantage in these places. So it’s good that the restriction makes it an even contest,” Kohli explained as to how he looked at the thing.
Having taken India to victory yesterday with a match-winning century, Kohli said he never felt any “pressure”.
“Pressure is a state of mind. If you feel there is pressure, you will be under pressure but if you play with a free mind then you put all these things behind and focus on the job. I have never felt any pressure,” said Kohli.
Having taken a morning flight from Ranchi after Sunday’s day-night affair, Kohli wasn’t too keen to answer questions related to cricket as he unveiled his new website www.viratkohli.club and a new animation character inspired by his on-field exploits.
Asked about whether he would continue to bat at No 4 or get back to his preferred No 3 slot in the ODIs, Kohli said, “I still don’t know about that. I was assigned a specific role by the team management during the series and I tried to perform that role to the best of my abilities. It’s not for me to say whether I would be going back to No 3 slot in batting order or not,” said Kohli.
