Short balls not a worry, feels Virat Kohli

JAIPUR: In their defeat to Australia in the first ODI in Pune, India's top-order batsmen were in a genuine spot of bother against the visitor's pace attack. Barring Virat Kohli, most of the home batsmen had difficulties in playing the short ball, which the Aussies used intelligently.

At a media conference on Tuesday, Kohli said the short ball is just a tactics every team is using. "But I admit our bowling was not up to the mark in the first one-dayer. But we are confident of doing well this time and try to iron out the shortcomings in certain areas," he said.

The middle-order batsman said there is nothing special about short balls used by South Africa, England and Pakistan bowlers. "Every time we play against England or Australia, this is the one area we are questioned time and again. Even Sri Lanka and Pakistan bowlers use short-pitched stuff. I have always said that if you see the mode of dismissals, it's more about catch in slips, leg before or bowled.

Very few batsmen get out to short ball. It's not a wicket-taking delivery but a tactic used by teams. But at international level, one should be ready to play any delivery that is thrown at him," Kohli said.

Kohli seemed a bit annoyed on being asked about Ishant Sharma's lack of form. "I don't think you can drop a player on the basis of a couple of poor matches. You can't just write off somebody like that," he said.

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Shweta Pandey

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