We now have lot of options in the run up to the 2019 World Cup: Kohli

Virat Kohli

Kolkata, Sep 21 – The success of the two wrist spinners Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal has kept the competition going for slots in the Indian team and augurs well in the run up to the World Cup in 2019, skipper Virat Kohli said here on Thursday.

The team now had lot of options, and all bases were covered, Kohli said after the hosts defeated Australia by 50 runs to take a 2-0 lead in the five-game ODI series.

The captain lavished praise on Kuldeep and Chahal, who have taken ten wickets between themselves in the first two matches of the series.

“They are outstanding, they are two young guys bowling with a lot of heart, getting us those breakthroughs against a top quality side… I think it speaks volume about their character,” said Kohli.

Chinaman Kuldip got a hat-trick and finished with figures of 3/54. Leg spinner Chahal returned figures of 2/34.

“We know they will do us good service, in the future games as well. That keeps the competition going among the 20-25 players that we have.

“Looking at the World Cup in a couple of years time, that really augurs well for us, how the team is shaping up. It’s a good balance of bowling and batting,” said Kohli.

England and Wales are slated to host the World Cup from May 30 to July 15, 2019.

Kohli was ecstatic about the options in the all-rounder slots.

“We have not only Hardik (Pandya) as an all rounder, now we have a couple of spinning allrounders as well in (Ravindra) Jadeja and Axar (Patel).So we have lot of options, plus we have all our bases covered at the moment,” he said.