ENG vs IND: 'If your top six or seven don't do the job...' says Virat Kohli on team's balance

Team India suffered a heavy defeat following their two batting collapses in the match as after getting bowled out for 78 runs in the first innings, the visitors' batting line-up crumbled again in the second innings as they lost eight wickets for just 63 runs on Day 4 as England won the match by an innings and 76 runs.

Since the defeat at Headingley, the questions have been raised on the playing XI and specifically the combination as many people have suggested that India should go in win six specialist batters in addition to the wicket-keeper and four bowlers, however, skipper Virat Kohli didn't agree with the suggestions saying that he has never believed in that balance after being asked about the same in the post-match press conference.

"I don't believe in that balance. 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.

"You have to accept that as a team you take responsibility and pride in doing the job for the team. If you don't have the ability or the resources of taking 20 wickets going into a Test, then you are only playing for two results. And that's not how we play," Kohli further added.

The bowlers' captain, Kohli has always believed in the five-bowler policy - the fifth being the all-rounder (whether Hardik Pandya in the past or Ravindra Jadeja now) since the last England tour in 2018.

However, Kohli did suggest the rotation of fast bowlers saying that it's "bound to happen" with respect to managing the workload.

"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. So, we will have to assess who are the guys who will be given that many days to recover and be okay for the fourth one," Kohli said.