×

India vs England: Virat Kohli confident of playing Trent Bridge Test, admits to wrong selection at Lord’s

Kohli did not bat at his customary No 4 position during India’s second innings at Lord’s on Sunday owing to a back strain which hampered his movement.

India captain Virat Kohli is confident of being fit for the third Test against England starting this Saturday at Trent Bridge, having admitted that his team made some poor selection calls at Lord’s.

Kohli did not bat at his customary No 4 position during India’s second innings at Lord’s on Sunday owing to a back strain which hampered his movement. “I should be okay for Trent Bridge. It’s a lower back issue, purely because of the workload, but I’ll do a bit of rehab and I think I’ll be fine in five days’ time,” he said after India’s innings defeat.

LORD’S TEST SCORECARD | DAY FOUR AS IT HAPPENED 

Trailing England by 289 runs, India were bowled out for 107 in their second innings.

“Not very proud of the way we played to be honest,” said Kohli. “Its the first time in the last five Test matches we’ve been outplayed. Credit to England, they were clinical. When a team plays like that they deserve to be on the winning side.”

INDIA vs ENGLAND, 2ND TEST MATCH HOME

Asked about how the challenge that India’s batsmen faced on day two when the skies were grey and the conditions conducive to seam bowling varied to those on day three, when Jonny Bairstow and Chris Woakes added a record sixth-wicket partnership that put England on course for a lead of 289, Kohli said it was not something he wanted to use as an excuse.

“Can’t really think about those things,” he said. “You have to counter the conditions as and when they come to you. Can’t crib about these things. Sometimes the rub of the green will go your way too. We won’t sit around and say that we didn’t have the best of conditions. Their bowlers were relentless with the ball.”

He did, however, admit that India got the selection wrong in dropping a fast bowler for a spinner after the first day was washed out. “Looking at things now, the weather was so unpredictable, I think we got the combination a bit off before the game. Chance to correct that next game,” he said.

trending this week