Who is the X factor in the team according to Kohli?

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India skipper Virat Kohli with young chinaman spinner Kuldeep Yadav. File Pic

Internet Desk: Virat Kohli and Co. are just one step away to create history, as they might become the first Indian side to complete a clean-sweep in an overseas three match Test rubber when they will lock horns with a much inexperienced Sri Lanka in the third and final match, which will start on Saturday.

In the pre-match press conference India skipper Virat Kohli said a guy like young Kuldeep Yadav is always willing to bowl in any situation, willing to bowl with attacking fields, willing to throw the ball up towards the batsmen, he believes in his own ability and believes in deceiving the batsmen with the skill, which is an x-factor in the team.

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“See all these… not that we are old.. But all these very young guys coming in, there is one thing striking about them is their confidence. The way, the will to compete against any opposition or in any condition is something that really stands out as far as I am concerned as captain. these guys give you confidence, guy like kuldeep, when you hand him the ball he is willing to bowl in any situation, willing to bowl with attacking fields, willing to throw the ball up towards the batsmen, he believes in his own ability and believes in deceiving the batsmen with the skill that he has so…. I think that’s his biggest quality. He has proven himself in Dharamsala which was not such a spin friendly wicket and it was quite flat in the first 2-3 days of the Test match. He turned the game around for us so he has ability, which is very rare to find. A chinaman bowler is always something which is an x-factor in a team. and I would say his confidence is his usp. He has a great chance of playing tomorrow and I wish him all the best,” said Virat.

ICC has banned India’s ace all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja from playing the third Test. On being asked about the matter, India skipper Virat Kohli on Friday urged the International Cricket Council (ICC) to be more consistent in implementing rules pertaining to the players’ code of conduct.

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“I think players have to be much more aware going ahead and just hoping that the guidelines are very similar from now on. Because it shouldn’t vary according to how the situation is looked at,” said Kohli.

“So if it is consistent then I think it is going to be a good going ahead because players will obviously be more aware of how they need to conduct themselves on the field. It will only help the game get better,” he added.

Speaking on the suspension, Kohli said players should understand the ICC’s rules but the governing body should show greater consistency while making such vital decisions.

Kohli said with clarity on the rules, the players would be less prone to violating them.

“Firstly we need to be very clear on what are the things that fall into it and what are the things that a player needs to keep in his mind while being on the field. Lot of things happen on the field, which in the thick of things or heat of the moment you end up doing,” he explained.

“But you don’t know what’s going to cause you one or two or three points. So I think the intent counts nowadays and that’s something that players need to keep in mind. It might be a very small thing but if the intent is to do something bad then obviously that is something that counts against the player,” said Kohli.

The series has been pocketed but Kohli ruled out making wholesale changes to the side in the inconsequential match. India won the first two Tests in Galle and Colombo comfortably and now have a chance to score a rare 3-0 overseas victory.

And perhaps keen on clinching a clean-sweep, Kohli said he would like to maintain continuity.

“To play consistent cricket, you need to make sure that players are playing on a regular basis. Those who are performing and those who are doing well should continue in more games than not and to be a consistent side I think we need to have continuity as well unless the situations where things are not controllable arise,” Kohli said in a pre-match press conference.