India skipper Virat Kohli feels it was ‘unfortunate’ that Parvez Rasool could not get a game during the just-concluded ODI series against Zimbabwe but insisted that the Jammu and Kashmir all-rounder just did not fit into the team’s bowling plans during the tour.
‘I’m not really bothered about what’s being said about people getting chances, because a lot of people who have played these five games have been sitting on the bench for two months or so,’
Kohli said when queried about not including Rasool, who could have become the first J&K cricketer to play for the Indian team. India swept the series 5-0 and in the final ODI, it was expected that Rasool would be given a chance as the side had an invincible lead in hand but Kohli said the 24-year-old would get his break later. ‘Parvez realises we had a set bowling combination and we didn’t want to make any changes to that. It was unfortunate he didn’t get a game, but it just didn’t go according to our plans. Maybe in future when he plays more series he’ll get a few games to test his skills out,’ he said.
Asked if Rasool could have been given a chance in place of another all-rounder, Ravindra Jadeja, Kohli said, ‘It’s very hard to leave someone like Jadeja out because he’s the kind of bowler who can get you wickets at any point in time.’
‘We didn’t want to take any game lightly and I didn’t want to change the bowling department. Parvez is going to South Africa now for India A tour and he’s going to play a lot of games there and pick up more experience. He could have been given a chance but I just didn’t want to take a chance with the bowling line-up, leaving someone like Jadeja out,’ Kohli added. a
‘I’m not really bothered about what’s being said about people getting chances, because a lot of people who have played these five games have been sitting on the bench for two months or so,’
Kohli said when queried about not including Rasool, who could have become the first J&K cricketer to play for the Indian team. India swept the series 5-0 and in the final ODI, it was expected that Rasool would be given a chance as the side had an invincible lead in hand but Kohli said the 24-year-old would get his break later. ‘Parvez realises we had a set bowling combination and we didn’t want to make any changes to that. It was unfortunate he didn’t get a game, but it just didn’t go according to our plans. Maybe in future when he plays more series he’ll get a few games to test his skills out,’ he said.
Asked if Rasool could have been given a chance in place of another all-rounder, Ravindra Jadeja, Kohli said, ‘It’s very hard to leave someone like Jadeja out because he’s the kind of bowler who can get you wickets at any point in time.’
‘We didn’t want to take any game lightly and I didn’t want to change the bowling department. Parvez is going to South Africa now for India A tour and he’s going to play a lot of games there and pick up more experience. He could have been given a chance but I just didn’t want to take a chance with the bowling line-up, leaving someone like Jadeja out,’ Kohli added. a