All the talk in the build-up to the Sri Lanka Test series has been dominated by captain Virat Kohli's strategy and the team's composition. He has, by now, made it clear that he is a five-bowler captain — a change from MS Dhoni's four-bowler and seven-batsman preference.
While the composition of the five-man bowling attack could still go either way - will three spinners make sense? - one thing is clear: the six batsmen picked will have the added responsibility to play longer innings.
Murali Vijay celebrates a century during India's latest tour of Australia. Getty
Doesn't this put extra pressure on the batsman? According to Murali Vijay, it doesn't: "It is not demanding, it is just our role," Vijay told Bcci.tv as the Indian team reached Colombo. "If any one of us at the top click, it's going to be good for the team and we are going to be in a much comfortable position most times. So it is a good challenge, a good responsibility to have."
"You need to play a stronger bowling side in order to win Test matches and it's more exciting and satisfying as well," Kohli said before the Test series, before adding: "The idea is to take 20 wickets. I strongly believe that you need to your best bowlers to play in order to give your team a chance to do that. The whole idea of playing five bowlers is that the top six have to take more responsibility."
That's been a feature of Kohli's brief reign as Indian captain so far. There is a clear-cut plan to maximise the chances of winning a Test match and assigning specific roles to the players. Whether it will work or not, the next three Tests will tell us. But he'll be happy to know his teammates are singing from the hymn sheet.
"If you are looking to dominate in a Test match, you have to perform as a team. You should have the plans and work according to them," was Vijay's take on the new captain's plans.
Vijay, regarded as one of the most-improved batsmen of the recent times for India, has cemented his place at the top of the order. A stellar opening partnership has been a feature of all great Test sides of recent times - Justin Langer and Mathew Hayden for Australia, Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir for India, Graeme Smith and Herschelle Gibbs for South Africa - and a lot will hinge for Kohli on how his openers fare. That requires the in-form Vijay to play the anchor's role at the top.
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"I think I have always been that way, it's just the return of runs had to be a little more consistent and now with more opportunities in the team I am really enjoying my game. I am mentally much more ready than before," he said, adding that he enjoys the game more these days and tries to keep it simple.
"I think he is the guy who has been very solid for us at the top of the order. He has improved his game immensely in the last one and a half years. He has given us very solid starts," was Kohli's assessment of Vijay, who also spoke about having a problem of plenty with the talented KL Rahul waiting in the wings as the third opener. While it's more likely that Rahul is on Shikhar Dhawan's heels, it is never a bad thing to have good competition for slots, something which Vijay acknowledges.
"It (Rahul's presence) is going to add more challenge for us to pull up our socks and do our bit for the team," said Vijay. "We are close-knit side and it's going to be an exciting time as a team and for every individual because it's going to test our character and will be challenging overall."
Vijay's and his partner Dhawan's form will go a long way in shaping Kohli's plans for the rest of the series, and the captain would be hoping the Tamil Nadu opener would provide him the solidity and calmness at the top of the order that his nickname - The Monk - demands.
source: firstpost.com
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