India skipper Virat Kohli today said performance of the pacers have been a big boost for the team and hinted at employing an all-seam attack against South Africa on a typical green Wanderers track in the third cricket Test here.
“Chances of anything happening are very bright. As I said, there is a lot of grass on the pitch. We would definitely look at that option. I am sure both the teams would be thinking about those options,” Kohli said when asked if India might go with an all-pace attack.
“Not many times on overseas tours we have picked 40 wickets in two Test matches. So, I think that’s a big boost for us if the bowlers can continue doing their job. As I said, we have taken 40 wickets so far and we need to figure out what’s the best way to pick up 20 wickets again in this Test.”
“We are going to have a discussion on that and the other combinations of the whole team. We will have a clear picture by the end of this afternoon,” he added.
Indian batsmen have come a cropper in the Test series and Kohli hoped they would learn from their mistakes.
“I said before the series that whichever side bats better wins the series, and that’s been the case so far. The batsmen are looking to rectify their mistakes that happened in the first two games because it’s a chance for everyone to step up in times that have not gone our way and to change things around for us,” he said. Currently at 124 ranking points, World No. 1 India are leading second-placed South Africa by 13 points and a whitewash would result in both teams being on 118 points with India being marginally ahead on decimal points.
Kohli said: “I don’t think that (ranking) has been our motivation ever. We focused on the kind of cricket that we want to play. Obviously it’s disappointing when you don’t win games. But every game you play you have to start afresh and not think about what happened in the past.
“We are going to treat this Test as an individual Test match that we need to come out and play our best cricket and try to be in the same positions we were in the first two Tests and try to consolidate on it and actually close the game.”
India have never lost at Wanderers in four Tests, which includes a thrilling draw in 2013 and Kohli said his team will focus on the things that worked for them the last time.