Internet Desk: Keep aside all speculations India Captain Virat Kohli clearly stated that Murli Vijay and KL Rahul will open the batting in the Mumbai Test match starting 8 December in Wankhede Stadium. KL Rahul will return from injury to open with Murli Vijay.
Kohli stated that both the Batsmen are not used to play in any other batting slot than opening the batting for the team. Wicket-keeper batsman Parthiv Patel who opened the batting for injured KL Rahul and scored an unbeaten half-century in Mohali. Kohli said,”There is do doubt that Rahul and Vijay will be opening the batting for us. These two are batsmen who have not batted at any other positions. They will continue to be our specialist openers for the Mumbai Test,”
Rahul returns to the team after missing out on the third Test, which India won in Mohali, due to an injury he exaggerated in the Vizag Test. He had earlier suffered a hamstring injury during the New Zealand series which forced him to miss the last two Tests of the that series and the first Test of the England series.
Regarding Mohammad Shami’s fitness who complained of a knee niggle after the last test Kohli said,”After the Mohali Test, Shami felt bit of soreness in his knee. We need to take a collective call on that. He has had a history of knee surgeries so don’t want to push him and lose him for the complete season,”
Opener Murli Vijay and middle-order batsman Ajinkya Rahane are not in the runs and are having a bad patch with the bat. In this regard Kohli seemed to be unperturbed and said,”As far as Vijay and Rahane are concerned, both are solid batsmen and Vijay even got a century in the first Test. I also didn’t have scores too be proud of in the New Zealand series so Rahane covered up. It is all about covering up for the other batsmen and this is how we play,”
The Test will begin after a eight-day gap after the third Test and Kohli feels that this gap will benefit the team.
“We did not ask for the break. It was part of the schedule. It was good as we could reflect on the two games that we won. I think it is going to benefit the team. It is important we get breaks. Between the series you cannot completely switch-off while on the break. You have to keep thinking about what you can do. As a captain you have to think what combinations you can play, how will the wicket play but this not be too much. It is important to enjoy life away from your profession,” he said.