Virat Kohli wants India to play out of their comfort zones in T20Is
Virat Kohli became the first captain, who decided to bat first after winning the toss on a flat Chinnaswamy track and in the end, his decision didn't pay off as South Africa beat India by 9 wickets to draw the three-match series 1-1.
Batting first, India put up only 134/9 from their quota of 20 overs after regular fall of wickets stemmed the run flow. In the end, Quinton de Kock remained not out on 79 as South Africa cruised to an easy victory with 19 balls to spare.
However, the loss will not force India to go away from their plans of trying and testing. According to Kohli, chasing is easier in T20s and he wants his side to be prepared to bat first and put up a total on the board ahead of the upcoming World T20 in Australia next year.
"(This is) exactly what we wanted to do and that's going to be the template we'll follow for games we have before the World Cup (on opting to bat after winning the toss). The mindset has to be flexible and to try out things when situations are stacked against us," Kohli said at the post-match presentation ceremony.
Kohli went on to add that Sunday's loss was one-off where the execution wasn't top notch but also credited the Proteas for bowling well.
"We will have games like this, where we don't execute what we want. But as long as the intent is there to improve, we'll be in a good zone. I think South Africa bowled well, the pitch suited them in the first innings and we weren't able to read the tempo of the game well," said Kohli.
He also stressed on the fact that in T20s chasing is easier and that is why he wants his players to take up the challenge of batting first.
"I would say only in T20 cricket (where chasing is easier). In one-day cricket, you have time for the bowlers to come back, but here a partnership of 40-50 can take the game away from you. One good partnership and you are under the pump even if you are defending 200," said Kohli.
India have dropped Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal in order to accommodate more all-rounders and strengthen their batting but their lack of wicket-taking ability cost India on Sunday. Regards to that, the 30-year-old said that India wants to sort out their combination as soon as possible.
"The squad composition, we will try to get right as soon as we can. The guys, who have done well in the domestic circuit are getting opportunities, so it's not like we are playing random people.
"You have to understand as well that it's a very young side, you have to give them time as a team to come together. We batted till 9 tonight, and that's one area we're looking to strengthen."
