IND vs SL LIVE: Virat Kohli 100th Test: Bumrah aims to gift wrap win on Kohli – Team India vice-captain Jasprit Bumrah lauded ex captain Virat Kohli’s effort over the years and believes that it will surely be a special occasion when he walks in to the field during the IND vs SL 1st Test. The game at Mohali will be Kohli’s 100th for India in the format, and Bumrah believes that the best present for the 33-year-old will be to seal another win over the Lankans. Follow India vs Sri Lanka LIVE updates on InsideSport.IN
Virat Kohli 100th Test: Jasprit Bumrah says, Team India wants to give Kohli’s fitting present with victory- Follow IND vs SL Live updates
Jasprit Bumrah believes a Team India win will be the perfect tribute to Virat Kohli who will feature in his 100th Test for India at Mohali this week. The former Indian captain will become just the 12th Indian to the landmark, having made his debut back in 2011.
Speaking in an online press conference, Bumrah lauded Kohli for his services to the team and hailed his special achievement. He said,” It is always a special achievement for a player to play 100 Tests. Virat has contributed a lot for this team & will continue to do so. It is another feather on his cap and I would like to congratulate Kohli – It is a testimony of his hard work.”
🗣️🗣️ @imVkohli playing 100 Test matches is testimony to his hardwork and dedication towards the game: @Jaspritbumrah93 🔊#TeamIndia | #INDvSL pic.twitter.com/6yh13WWkJ3
— BCCI (@BCCI) March 1, 2022
Asked whether the team had any special plans for the occasion, Bumrah said, “If the Indian team wins, then there is no best (better) present than that. But he (Kohli) as a cricketer would like to give his best. Whichever match we play, whether it is his 100th Test, yes obviously, (it is) a big achievement and it is a testimony to his hard work, but India’s main focus is on the series.”
India begin their series against Sri Lanka on March 4. The series is the first since Kohli resigned from Test captaincy, with Rohit Sharma taking over the armband in all formats of the game.
Virat Kohli 100th Test: Jasprit Bumrah says, Team India wants to give Kohli’s fitting present with victory- Follow IND vs SL Live updates
Excerpts from Bumrah’s press conference
On minimal celebrations after wickets: “When I was small I used to celebrate a lot, I even used to plan my celebrations but when you play at this level I look to focus on the job and when the team wins only then I celebrate”.
On Ashwin’s fitness: “Ashwin is shaping well, he is batting, bowling and fielding – looking good for the first Test”.
On Mohali Test being played behind closed doors: “It’s a big day for Virat Kohli – the focus is to winning the game for India. See, right now we are in the frame of mind, where we are focussing on what we can control. (If) the crowds come, it is good for the energy, but that is something that we cannot control, we don’t have any power regarding that, we don’t decide the rules.
So, for us what we can control is our energy, so we are trying to focus on that, and that is the basic thing in everybody’s mind right now, that is how do we prepare. We are in the best frame of mind, even if crowds are not there, so how do we keep that energy up? And with that, obviously, as I said, it is a big, big day, a big match for Virat Kohli.”
Jasprit Bumrah on Virat Kohli playing 100th Test: “It is always a special achievement for a player to play 100 Tests. Virat has contributed a lot for this team & will continue to do so. It is another feather on his cap and I would like to congratulate Kohli – It is a testimony of his hard work.”
Virat Kohli 100th Test: Jasprit Bumrah says, Team India wants to give Kohli’s fitting present with victory- Follow IND vs SL Live updates
- Who will fill the roles of No.3 & No.5 in absence of Cheteshwar Pujara & Ajinkya Rahane?
- R Ashwin is in Mohali, Is he FIT enough to play the 1st Test?
- Will Hanuma Vihari make it to the playing XI with Shreyas Iyer in a purple patch?
- Rishabh Pant and Virat Kohli will return to the Test setup after being rested for the T20I series.
- KL Rahul and Washington Sundar are yet to fully recover and were not available for selection for the Sri Lanka series.
- Axar Patel is currently undergoing his rehab and is not available for selection for the first Test. He will be assessed later to ascertain his selection for the second Test.
- Shardul Thakur has been rested for the Sri Lanka series.
India’s Test squad: Rohit Sharma (Captain), Priyank Panchal, Mayank Agarwal, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Hanuma Vihari, Shubhman Gill, Rishabh Pant (wicket-keeper), KS Bharat, Ravindra Jadeja, Jayant Yadav, R. Ashwin (subject to fitness clearance), Kuldeep Yadav, Saurabh Kumar, Mohd. Siraj, Umesh Yadav, Mohd. Shami, Jasprit Bumrah (vice-captain).
The opening Test will kick start on March 4 at Punjab Cricket Association Ground in Mohali also touted as Virat Kohli’s 100th match.
IND vs SL LIVE: Vice-Captain Jasprit Bumrah to address Press Conference at 4.30 PM ahead of Mohali Test- Follow LIVE updates
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