'Cramped for time' to prepare properly for South Africa, says Virat Kohli

Kohli has questioned India's cricket calendar in the context of providing enough time between series to prepare for overseas tours.

'Cramped for time' to prepare properly for South Africa, says Virat Kohli Virat Kohli (IANS)

New Delhi: Just two days after hosting Sri Lanka in the last match of their ongoing tour, India fly out to South Africa for three Tests, six ODIs and three T20Is in almost two months of gruelling cricket; and India captain Virat Kohli on Thursday said that it wasn't "proper preparation" for a tough overseas assignment.  

India play Sri Lanka in the second Test beginning in Nagpur from Friday, and while addressing the media on match eve, Kohli categorically mentioned that the team is "as usual, cramped for time" between two series.

"Unfortunately we get only two days before we fly to South Africa, after this series gets over. So we have no choice than to be in game situation and think of what's coming ahead for us. Had we got a month off, ideally, we would have done proper preparation in a camp sort of scenario. But we have to make do with what we have," the skipper said replying to a question whether India is taking this Sri Lanka series as preparation for South Africa tour. 

Kohli said it's very easy to criticise players for non-performance overseas but what's always ignored is the insufficient time players got to prepare.

"As usual, cramped for time, which I think we need to assess in future because we very easily assess the team when we go abroad, but we don't look at how many days we got to prepare before we go to a particular place to play. Everyone starts judging players when results come after Test matches. 

"It should be a fair game, where we get to prepare the way we want to and then we are entitled to be criticised," the captain said without mincing words.  

India prepared a green-top for the first Test against Sri Lanka at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata. Despite the first two days badly hit by rain, the strip almost produced a result with Sri Lanka at tenterhooks in the fourth innings slipping to 75/7 before bad light ensured a draw.

"I thought this (SL Tests) was an ample opportunity to challenge ourselves and put us in a situation where we want to, as I said, embrace being in difficult conditions. I am not saying that everyone will go out and perform immediately, but if we can feel comfortable about it after one innings, two innings or three innings, someone will come good and then you build on that confidence. Same for the bowlers as well," he said.

The wicket for the second Test in Jamtha beginning Friday is also expected to be lively with a bit of grass left on it.