Changing weather can dictate Kotla ODI
The mid-October winter tinge can be dicey for day-night cricket in the capital with the dew factor giving the coin a real toss when India square up to England Monday in the second of the five match One-day series, already one-up.
- Indo-Asian News Service
- Updated: October 16, 2011 06:17 PM IST
The mid-October winter tinge can be dicey for day-night cricket in the capital with the dew factor giving the coin a real toss when India square up to England Monday in the second of the five match One-day series, already one-up.
India will hope to exploit the conditions better than the visitors on a notoriously slow and low Ferozeshah Kotla pitch. The Indians got a kick-start in the series by winning the first game at Hyderabad by a whopping 126 runs in familiar home conditions and the momentum should continue.
The English batsmen were all at sea against the spinning ball and Virat Kohli knows a thing or two about batting at the Kotla as a Delhiite. He predicted the Englishmen will have to battle it out on a slow turner, having struggled at the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium in Hyderabad.
India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni knows how important the toss is in these environs. He didn't bat an eyelid in batting first in Hyderabad, but here he may have a tricky decision to take.
Dhoni may be still stick with three fast bowlers and two spinners since it would be difficult for the captain to "manoeuvre three spinners" if the dew dictates the course of play. They are unlikely to make any change to the winning combination.
Kohli, who will be playing his third ODI on his home ground, said the Kotla track has "improved but will still be on the slower side."
Kohli, himself a youngster, knows the importance of the series for newcomers.
"It is an exciting series for India and youngsters have to make the most of the opportunities that comes their way," he said.