Virat Kohli is a critical link in the team chain for India, with his hunger for runs and willingness to put in that extra effort at the crease in the tussle for dominance. He reckoned the weather will play a key role in the final one-dayer, marking the end point in an exhausting five-match series.
He said: “The heat will be a deciding factor. We played at Rajkot, then Chennai and now come to Mumbai. It is a physical challenge — the preparation, playing, then packing to move to a new centre and adjusting to the conditions. The mental challenge is always there, it is a crucial game.”
Winning the fourth one-dayer has put the team in a proper frame of mind for the Sunday tie. “We hadn’t played good cricket as a team till the Chennai game. The mood in the team is pretty good and we are assured of crowd support at the Wankhede. For players, doing well in such an atmosphere [is something] we look forward to.”
Batting at the Wankhede is an opportunity Kohli awaits. “The Wankhede wicket has more carry and bounce (than other places). It would be interesting to see how it goes with the ball coming faster on to the bat.”
He hoped one batsman in the line-up would bat through.
Replying to a question on batting positions, he spoke of the benefits of him at number three. “I have batted at number three more times in my career than at four. Coming to the crease after Rohit (Sharma) and Shikhar (Dhawan), if either of them goes early, number three gives me time to bat longer for the team.”
Kohli admitted batting gets tougher in the closing overs with an extra fielder the deep. “Batting has been a bit difficult, with the ball going soft and wickets getting slower, surprisingly in the sub-continent. Mental adjustment comes into play in the slog overs. We have to rely more on singles and rotate the strike.”
He said India’s opponents played a role in infusing excitement in the series. “Credit must be given to South Africa for making the matches so competitive. Like Australia did during last one-day series here, cricket becomes exciting.”
