Virat Kohli banks on bench strength

Mumbai: India captain Virat Kohli said that the philosophy of the current team was that when someone like a Murali Vijay or Ajinkya Rahane go through a rough patch, the others take it upon themselves to compensate for their mates.

Both Vijay (192 runs in six innings) and Rahane (63 from five innings) have struggled a lot during the current series but just like coach Anil Kumble, the Test skipper also made it clear that he was going to back his players firmly.

“Ajinkya and Vijay are both solid payers. Vijay got a hundred in the first innings of the series (at Rajkot). (When) I did not have any scores to be proud of during the New Zealand series, Ajinkya was stepping in.

“It’s all about covering for another guy, who is probably not getting runs and that’s what team sport is all about,” Kohli made it clear about what he thought on team ethos.

“We don’t believe in picking out individuals that this one is not playing well and this one is playing extraordinarily well.

“We compensate for someone who does not get runs and that is how we go ahead and pick up your teammates. That has been our aim,” he added.