With injured Kohli making it clear he will play only if 100% fit, India team management gears up for possibility of playing without their leader
Speculations about team combination and pitch condition is nothing new before a Test match. However, the kind of interest that Virat Kohli's shoulder injury has generated on the eve of the series-deciding final Test against Australia is not just rare but also reflects the nervousness around the Indian dressing room.
What if Kohli doesn't get fit in time, they must be thinking.
The India captain's injury leaves the think-tank with an additional tricky question, with the biggest being whether or not to go with five bowlers? If Kohli is ruled out on the morning of the match on Saturday, it would then be a problem that Ajinkya Rahane will have to address.
But for now, the biggest dilemma facing Team India is if it is worth risking playing a half-fit Kohli in a crunch game like this.
Knowing Kohli's utility, he is not just the team's main batter but also out-guns his opponents with his in-built, infectious aggression. To lose him for this big match like this would not only mean giving an edge to the Aussies in terms of aggression but also losing a middle-order mainstay.
"Obviously if I am 100 per cent fit for the game (that) is the only condition on which I will take the field," said the 28-year-old captain on the eve of final Test here on Friday. With Shreyas Iyer already having been called up as cover for Kohli, all eyes will be on the team physio to access his shoulder's condition just before the toss on Saturday.
"The physio can explain better. I don't know the magnitude of the risk but all I know is the fitness tests, if I go through them I will take the field," added Kohli.
In his absence, Rahane would be expected to not take the foot off the pedal in terms of putting the visitors under the pump. Though his performance as captain in Ranchi was termed satisfactory, but his approach was a lot different than his main skipper when it comes to giving it back in kind.
Rahane has always been a cool customer and prefers to play the waiting game as and when he has been given the responsibility to lead any team. His batting also showcases his inherent nature as he plays with lot of responsibility. But should Kohli sit out, it would surely mean Rahane moving up the order to share burden of responsibility along with newcomers Iyer and Karun Nair.
"Probably we will take a call on it later tonight or tomorrow (Saturday). So I think we will have to give that much time more for me to make that call with the physiotherapist," Kohli said about his shoulder condition.
The Indian skipper has had a disappointing series so far against Australia, scoring 46 runs in the three Tests of the series so far.
But he belongs to a breed where playing every game is a must. His intensity in every game is the same. Kohli has set new fitness and energy level standards for his teammates ever since he took over from MS Dhoni.
"Of course you want to push yourself to be fit. But at times, you have to understand where your body stands as well. It's not an injury caused because of lack of fitness. It's an impact injury and all those things need to be kept in mind. That's why you need to give it a bit more time before I can make that call with the physio as to how I am feeling and where the tests go," said Kohli, before adding: "As a player, as a captain obviously you want to push yourself to take the field, if you can to help team's cause. As I said, we need to wait a bit more before we can take that decision."
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "Indian team")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}