India vs Sri Lanka: Virat Kohli’s six-five dilemma

Virat Kohli may give a hint about the Indian bowling attack tour game that starts August 6. (Source: Reuters)

For the second time during his tenure as captain of the Indian cricket team, Virat Kohli has stressed on the strategy of playing five bowlers and giving them added responsibilities with the bat down the order.

In Bangladesh earlier this year, Kohli went ahead with a six-five combination with Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav and Varun Aaron in the pace department and Harbhajan Singh and Ravichandran Ashwin handling the spin department.

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But that was a o​​n​e​-off Test. Kohli has to deal with difficult times in the coming one month. Will he still focus on the six-five combination​ is one but the tougher question is who will be his five bowlers?

The selection of Ashwin and Bhuvneshwar seems all but done. Speaking at the presser in Chennai before India flew for Sri Lanka, Kohli said​,​ “We have people like Ashwin, Bhuvneshwar and Harbhajan, who are very handy with the bat. Ashwin averages about 40 in Test-match cricket. So, I don’t see any reason why he can’t be the all-rounder for us. It is all about giving people goals and asking them to improve on certain aspects and provide that extra balance the team requires.”

The fight for the remaining three spots is between three pacers and two spinners. Though Kohli backed Harbhajan, who has two Test centuries to his name, for his batting abilities, there is more than one reason that leg-spinner Mishra will play in the ​opener ​ahead of Harbhajan​, if the skipper goes with two spinners​.

​The pitches, however, pose another question for skipper Kohli to answer. With turn on offer, Kohli might be tempted to go in with three available spinners. Mishra has the experience of playing in Sri Lanka when he toured the island nation back in 2010. Though he played only one Test, he did manage to pick up four wickets. Another important reason, as the selectors admitted while selecting the squad, was the success of Pakistan leg-spinner Yasir Shah’s on Sri Lankan pitches in the Test series which Pakistan won 2-1.

On the pacers ​front, Kohli hasn’t suggested anything but apart from Bhuvneshwar, Ishant and Umesh may get a chance which will leave Aaron warming the bench in the first Test.

​In the absence of injured Bhuvi in Bangladesh, Umesh, Ishant and Aaron ​played the game. But what will happen in Sri Lanka, with Bhuvi fit and raring to go?

In a very likely scenario, Bhuvi will share the new ball with Ishant, who has played fair bit of cricket in the tear-dropped island.

For Kohli, the question of choosing a spin-heavy attack over pace is tougher than choosing a five-bowler attack over the typical seven-four line-up.​ The tour game, starting August 6, might just throw us a hint but with Kohli, you never know.