Virat Kohli says ‘If your Top six don’t do the job, that extra batter is not guarantee of bailing you out’

Virat Kohli feel that top five batsman are spcialist to going forward in the Test series, follwoing India’s loss in the third Test at Headingely.

India have suffered two collapse in the Test- 78 all outu in the first innings and eight wickets for 63 in the second innings.

However, despte lose, Kohli reckons an extran batsman would not be of much help if the five specialist ones are not able to score.

“I have never believed in that balance. Because either you can try to save a defeat or try to win the game. We have drawn games in the past with similar number of batters in the team. So, if your top six or seven don’t do the job, that extra batter is no guarantee of bailing you out every time,” Virat Kohli said at the post-match press conference at Headingley.

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“If you don’t have the ability or the resources of taking 20 wickets going into as Test, then you are only playing for two results. And that’s not how we play.

“I think this template works. If you are consistent enough, the pressure from the fourth seamer, especially when you lose the toss and you have to bowl first, that comes in very handy because when you have two spinners you can only attack with three seamers and then the spinners are into play on a fresh wicket on Day 1,” he added.

“That’s bound to happen. It is a logical and sensible thing to do. You obviously don’t want to push individuals to a point where they break down. That conversation is very important. Very sensible and logical one at that as well.

“We will have that conversation with individuals and see who is placed where physically and who needs to have a game off. You can’t expect with a short turnaround like this for guys to play four Tests in a row,” the skipper said.

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