Kohli hints at extra pacer considering overcast conditions, declares Saha fit

Mumbai, Dec 02 (PTI): India captain Virat Kohli on Thursday indicated that they may field an extra pacer in the second Test against New Zealand to exploit the likely change in conditions if persistent rainfall continues. Mumbai is witnessing heavy unseasonal rain which has caused a sharp drop in temperature. The overcast conditions would bring seam and swing bowlers into the equation due to underlying moisture content. “There is a weather change and we have to keep that into account and pick the combination accordingly,” Kohli said on the eve of the match, hinting that the three-spinner strategy could be revised for this game. It could pave the way for Mohammed Siraj’s inclusion in the playing XI. “At the end of the day, you cannot assume weather conditions will remain like this over the five days.
“So, we need to see what bowling combination should be picked that can tackle in different conditions. If we reach a common understanding and if everyone agrees, we go in with that combination,” Kohli said.
The captain didn’t give any definitive answer about Ajinkya Rahane’s place in the side but to a slightly tweaked question how one communicates with players who are dropped, he gave an elaborate reply. “You have to obviously understand the situation of where the team is placed. You have to understand where individuals stand at certain stages during the course of a long season, so you have to obviously communicate well,” Kohli said. “You have to speak to the individuals and approach them in a way, which explain things to them properly and mostly it’s been combination based whenever we have done changes in the past. “….. and we have explained to individuals and they have understood our mindset behind going in with a certain combination. So it is not a difficult thing to do when there is collective trust and belief in the group that we are working towards the same vision,” he said but did not give a direct answer to the query.