Virat Kohli open to ‘discussions on DRS’ with teammates

The DRS is not the only issue that has seen Kohli take a different stance. The aggressive batsman has also opted to go for an extra bowler in Tests.

Indian cricket team director Ravi Shastri and captain Virat Kohli at a Press conference. — PTI

Mumbai — In a departure from the stand taken by his predecessor Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Indian Test captain Virat Kohli has said that he is open to discussions on the implementation of the controversial Decision Review System with his teammates.

While Dhoni has always maintained that DRS is not foolproof and it still requires significant upgradation, Kohli feels that the contentious system can at least be discussed. “You have to sit and analyse and ask the bowlers what they feel about it. Ask the batters what they feel about that. We literally just came into this Test match with very less time on hand. So now that we have time, I am sure these discussions will take place,” Kohli has said.

Kohli’s stance is not quite consistent with the BCCI’s adamant refusal to accept DRS when N Srinivasan was its President even though some Test-playing nations such as Australia, England and New Zealand have already started using it. The ICC has maintained that it wants a consistent usage of the system but would not force any member Board to adopt it.

“We have always said that we would like to have the same rules for everybody as far as DRS is concerned and implement it on a uniform, consistent basis,” ICC CEO Dave Richardson had said earlier.

The DRS is not the only issue that has seen Kohli take a different stance. The aggressive batsman has also opted to go for an extra bowler in Tests. Kohli was named captain after Dhoni retired from the five-day format during the series in Australia last year, and India’s one-off match in Bangladesh, which ended in a draw on Sunday, was their first full Test series under the 26-year-old.

India have, in the past, preferred to play six frontline batsmen in their Test side but brought in an extra bowler for the match against Bangladesh. While it was difficult to gauge the impact of the switch given that rain washed away a chunk of the match, Kohli seems set to stick with five bowlers for Tests in Sri Lanka and at home to South Africa later in the year.

“I am a big fan of playing five bowlers,” Kohli told reporters after the match in Fatullah on Sunday.

“I would want someone like R. Ashwin, who is averaging 40 with the bat in Test matches — you really can’t ask for more from an allrounder — and someone like Harbhajan Singh to step up with the bat, and (Wriddhiman) Saha too.

“If those three start clicking, you literally have eight batsmen, and you can’t really ask for more as a captain. It’s basically up to the first six to take more responsibility and we are confident of doing that.”

India bundled Bangladesh out in under 66 overs in batting friendly conditions and the captain was impressed with the off-spin duo of Ashwin and Harbhajan, who was making a comeback for his country after over two years. Ashwin took his 10th five-wicket haul, while the 34-year-old Harbhajan grabbed three wickets.