By: Sandipan Bose
Cricket can’t be played with a fixed mind-set. If anyone tries to do that, he becomes too predictable. Who else would know it better than Indian Test captain Virat Kohli.
Kohli has always advocated the five-bowler theory to take those twenty wickets. He started off his journey as the Test captain with a mind-set of 5-5-1 combination. The thinking of taking those twenty wickets in the most important bit about winning Test matches.
With time, however, Delhi cricketer started to believe in ‘horses for courses’ policy, which essentially makes the captain to be a little more flexible. There were times when Kohli picked five bowlers along with five batsmen in the playing XI while in a few Tests. He then went in with six batsmen.
The Rajkot Test against England was another case when the team management opted for five bowlers. Yes, there are times when a couple of the bowlers would be under-bowled in an innings, but that is how it goes.
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A bowler like Amit Mishra, who was in and out of the Test playing XI, also can’t be ignored also after a superlative show in the recently concluded ODI series against New Zealand. Even coach Anil Kumble won’t like the idea of ignoring a leg-spinner in the team, who has the ability to win you matches.
In hindsight, the five-bowler theory could also add a lot of pressure to the top-order batsmen in the team. Therefore, the three spinners – Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja and Anit Mishra – have important roles with the bat too.
The encouraging but is that they all can bat. With five batsmen in Test match like this, the bowlers would have to shoulder some extra responsibility. Even Wriddhiman Saha can bat.
His consistency at display in a recent Test series against the Black Caps. He also won the man-of-the-match award recently and would be bubbling with confidence to continue his good work. It is only then Kohli’s five bowlers would be justified at all levels.
