cricket

Updated: Aug 24, 2019 13:08 IST

Former India captain Sourav Ganguly pointed towards one aspect of the game where current skipper Virat Kohli can ‘a bit more consistent’. The Indian team management came under immense scrutiny for excluding premier spinner Ravinchandran Ashwin from their playing XI for the first Test against West Indies in Antigua. Ganguly feels that Kohli needs to give players more opportunities so that they can feel confident of their place in the side and play freely.

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“This is one area where Virat (Kohli) needs to just be a bit more consistent - pick players and give them a bit more opportunities - for them to get that confidence and rhythm,” Ganguly was quoted as saying by The Times of India.

“I have said that before. You saw how Shreyas Iyer played in the ODI series (against West Indies). You picked him and you gave him the freedom to play those matches. I think that needs to happen with a lot of players and I am sure Virat will do that.”

Ganguly expressed his bewilderment following the exclusions of not only Ashwin and Rohit Sharma but also Kuldeep Yadav. India opted to bring in Ravindra Jadeja as the lone spinner in the side and went for three seamers in Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami and Ishant Sharma.

“Yes, I was also surprised to see Kuldeep (Yadav) left out, because the last Test he played against Australia, he got five wickets in Sydney on a good flat pitch. But Jadeja also has been in good form,” the former India captain said.

“The surface yesterday at Antigua needed three fast bowlers because we saw the seam movement the fast bowlers got. Ashwin’s record is phenomenal.

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“We will find out in the next couple of days whether how far Jadeja goes on to pick wickets on this surface. Because this pitch will get up and down as the game progresses. You can see that sort of indication from the first day of the Test. We will have to wait to see but I would also say that’s the competition (level) of Indian cricket,” Ganguly added.