Ahead of Team India's clash with Sri Lanka on Thursday, captain Virat Kohli reveals what Ravichandran Ashwin told him after he was dropped from the team against Pakistan.
It seems the only problem for the Indian cricket team at the moment is a problem of plenty. Having to drop world-class players like Ravichandran Ashwin, Ajinkya Rahane and Mohammed Shami is just the sort of sweet predicament captain Virat Kohli would want to have. Even with the trio not finding space in Team India's playing XI in their ICC Champions Trophy 2017 opener against Pakistan, it didn't stop the defending champions from registering a thumping victory.
While most lauded Kohli for picking the right team combination, there were some who wondered how a champion performer like Ashwin could be left out.
Ahead of India's match against Sri Lanka on Thursday, this was a question that was bound to come up in front of Kohli. While the skipper seemed proud of India's bench-strength when quizzed about Shami's omission, he did pause a little when a reporter asked him how one handled the ego of a big player like Ashwin.
"Ashwin is a high-class bowler, everyone knows that," said Kohli during the pre-match press conference. "He's very professional as well. He understood the dynamic of the side we picked in the last game. He was absolutely fine with it.
"Yes, we do have disagreements on bowling plans and all those sort of things because he's a smart guy and he has his own plans in place. But in this case where team selection and all these things come into play he's very professional, he understands what the team demands. That's a very nice and beautiful thing about him that he always puts the team first."
Kohli then went on to reveal what Ashwin told him before the start of the Pakistan game on Sunday. "He was the first guy who told me that I have no problems with the kind of combinations you're going in with. He told me I support you in whatever you want to do. That's always the kind of equation we've had."
With all the negativity surrounding the India camp over the past couple of weeks, knowledge of this healthy equation between India's two biggest match-winners is sure to bring a smile on fans' faces.
Here's Kohli's press conference:
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 "cricket, Web Exclusive, ICC Champions Trophy 2017, Champions Trophy 2017, Champions Trophy, Team India, India, pakistan, sri lan")
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