Mirpur: India’s Test skipper and ODI captain-in-waiting Virat Kohli has expressed his disapproval at the subdued performance of the team against Bangladesh in a 1-2 series loss.
Kohli, who was himself not amongst runs in the three-match series, questioned the uncertain body language of the players during the series.
India comprehensively surrendered their opening two matches to condemn them to their first One-Day International (ODI) series loss against Bangladesh.
The win catapulted Bangladesh to seventh in the rankings. India have retained their second spot despite the loss.
“Not too happy with the way we have played. We have been sort of doubtful in our decision-making and that shows on the field,” he said in TV interview on Wednesday.
India registered a consolation 77-run win here on Wednesday to avoid an embarrassing series whitewash.
Kohli’s frank assessment of the team’s fallibility are of added significance and can be viewed as his disapproval about how the team is being handled by embattled skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni.
His comments come close on the heels of team-mates Suresh Raina and Ravichandran Ashwin’s vocal support for Dhoni whose personal coach has claimed groupism within the team as the reason for India’s loss. He further claimed that it was affecting Dhoni’s concentration and subsequently individual performance.
Kohli’s personal coach has also echoed similar sentiments.
“I don’t need to say it in an interview; our cricket watchers and experts can see it (that) our guys are not sure enough to express themselves. In the first two games, we failed to express ourselves with clarity of mind.”
India were caught flat footed by a fast-improving Bangladesh and Kohli was quick to identify that.
“Credit goes to the Bangladesh team for the way they have played. We are not expressing ourselves like we normally do and are used to,” he said.
