Pitch debate beyond my understanding: Virat Kohli

India’s Test captain Virat Kohli has consciously stayed away from the debate surrounding the nature of the pitches prepared for the ongoing South Africa series as he feels that these discussions are “beyond his understanding.”

“That wicket debate is out of my understanding. I don’t know why there is so much hue and cry about the wickets in India. We absolutely have no problems in playing on this sort of a wicket. If both teams don’t agree on playing on a particular wicket, then it is not suited for a game of cricket. But we have no problems,” the skipper wasn’t exactly amused while fielding queries on whether Jamtha track will be a spin-friendly one.

Kohli reiterated that his team do not discuss the condition of pitches. “We haven’t had any sort of talk about the track. Whoever wants to talk about the track is free to talk about it. As I said, we will decide a combination according to how the wicket will play over a span of five days and not how it looks for the first time,” said Kohli.

The wicket, as per reports, is expected to assist the spinners and the ball is also expected to keep low, a big help for the spinners have run through the South African batting order in the three completed innings in the series so far.

Kohli indicated that the playing XI will be decided after assessing the condition.He said though there has not been much cricket in the two Tests, especially at Bengaluru, the team members were in good nick for the game ahead.

“Mohali was a positive result for us but that was a long time back. What happened in Bangalore is something that was not in our control. Remember one fine tour that India had to Sri Lanka, it was a 20 or 22-day tour and only one day of cricket was possible,” Kohli said, referring to India’s tour of 1993-94 to the island nation.

Kohli did not try to read too much into Dale Steyn’s groin strain that might lead to the fast bowler’s absence for the second straight Test match.

“We have played him enough times in the past. We have scored enough runs against him in the past. It does not make a difference if he is playing or not. We treat every bowler the same way. We treat everyone equally. It doesn’t really matter,” he concluded.

Day-night tests a big step: Kohli

Virat Kohli welcomed the experiment of day-night Test cricket that’s set to take place when Australia meet New Zealand in the third and final game of their current series in Adelaide from November 27.

“It is a landmark Test. It is a big step towards changing something in Test cricket. I hope it works. I hope it can be another option as well. Hopefully it will be better for the game. It might be a step that we will all remember a few years down the lane. Let’s hope so. It is a step towards something,” he said.

“I’m glad that two teams have agreed to play an official Test like that, as an experiment. So, credit to Australia and New Zealand that they have decided to do this.” He felt cricketers should be willing to play in day-night Test matches if it becomes a norm as this could be the way forward to popularise Test match cricket.