Indian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni lauded the manner in which Virat Kohli paced his excellent knock of 138 and the impact of ace spinner Harbhajan Singh - in Ravichandran Ashwin's absence - as the hosts recorded a series-levelling 35-run victory in Chennai. Dhoni emphasised on the importance of rotating strike in the middle-overs and praised Kohli for constantly putting the pressure on the fielding side. Dhoni was also of the opinion that Harbhajan, who finished with figures of 2-50, eased the pressure as India defended 299 on a turning track in Chepauk.
Virat [Kohli] is someone who was always keen on improving his game. Even when he would get out scoring a 60 or a 70, he wanted to convert it into a hundred. I felt he was rotating the strike really well. Also, the important thing is when you play such a long innings, the middle overs - putting pressure on the fielders is the key. If you compare this to the hundreds he scored in the Australian series, there was a bit a dew and the ball was coming on nicely. Those were big scoring games where we chased down 350 twice. That's why I felt it was an important innings today. On a slow wicket, the batsmen who is set will always find it easier than a new batsman. Just watching how he plays from 50 to 60, or 100 to 110, a lot of times these are the scores when you see a lot of batsmen getting out. But, if he crosses that, with the kind of mindset he has, he will always play a big innings.
On the importance of rotating strike
If you see, rotation of strike is something very important. Especially, once you go in to bat, that's the time you can freely rotate, that's the one area where we should improve as a side. Especially when the opposition can cramp us for room and have one fielder close to the (square leg) umpire. With their height, if they keep hitting the right areas, it becomes quite difficult to rotate. Initially, you are able to use the pace but once the ball gets old and it doesn't come on off the wicket, it becomes very difficult to use the pace. That's why it's very important to find ways of rotating the strike, because it eases the pressure, especially when both the batsmen do it. You also play more fluently.
On the impact of new rules on a number six batsman and his attacking intent
On a slower wicket, it's not easy to play the big shots, and these are bigger outfields. The scuffed up ball doesn't come on well off the wicket, and when it is dug in short, you have to play the big shots. It's not easy to clear the boundaries. With the new rule changes - with that extra fielder outside the 30-yard circle - the batsmen who come after the 40th over will find it difficult play the big shots straight away.
More than the short deliveries, it is the length deliveries that are difficult to hit. With the reverse swing, the bowlers can actually cramp you. Even the ones that are short, they don't get to the same height which means you have to take a risk of playing the big shot. It is a new strategy that has been put in place by a lot of sides, though our bowlers are not as tall as the others, they can't hit the same areas and generate the same amount of bounce, but that has been the length to bowl - Bowl just back of a length, and slip in the odd yorkers.
Considering the conditions and the wickets, it is something that is working. But, it's important to be ready with Plan B. You don't know how long it will work. Batsmen, too, will try and get new ways of scoring runs, and you won't get the same amount of reverse swing, or the ball won't get scuffed up to the same extent. All of a sudden, when you play on a wicket with a bit more pace, on smaller outfields, the fast bowlers will find it tougher to use the same strategy.
