England captain Joe Root has said that his bowlers deserve credit for keeping Virat Kohli from getting big scores thus far in the five-match Test series between the two teams. Kohli, who hasn’t scored a century since November 2019 in Test cricket, has averaged just 24.80 in the series and has just one half century to his name.
“The credit has to go to our bowlers. Virat is world class, there is no doubt about that, which is why I think the bowlers should get credit. They have been able to keep him quiet,” said Root in an interaction with the media ahead of the fourth Test which starts on Thursday at the Oval.
“To keep a player like that quiet is a great effort from the bowling group and something we have to continue to do if we want to win the series. We have to keep finding ways to get him out and keep the pressure up. He is obviously a fine player who has done tremendous things in Test cricket. Hopefully, that relentlessness is something we can keep up moving forward,” said Root.
Root also said that England are ready to face spinner Ravichandran Ashwin if India include him in the squad for the Oval Test.
Ashwin, who is four wickets shy of joining Harbhajan Singh as the second best Indian spinner in Tests behind Anil Kumble, last month took a six-wicket haul in a County Championship game for Surrey at the Oval.
He was also India’s best bowler in the World Test Championship final against New Zealand in Southampton in June.
“We will certainly be making sure that we’re prepared for the challenges that he poses coming into this Test match, along with other combinations that they might throw at us. But, ultimately, you can get wrapped up and you can end up playing the player. So it’s really important that you just play the delivery and to the situation that you find yourself in,” said Root.
