India, currently holding the second spot in the World Cup 2023 points table after South Africa's thrilling 1-wicket win against Pakistan, is eager to reclaim the top position and extend their winning streak as they prepare to face England at Ekana Stadium in Lucknow.
In anticipation of the highly awaited clash, Indian cricket captain Virat Kohli, in an interview with Star Sports, shared his thoughts on the English players he is looking forward to facing.
One of the English bowlers Kohli is eager to challenge is Mark Wood, who has had a relatively subdued tournament with only three wickets from five matches. Historically, Wood has managed to dismiss Kohli only once in six encounters. Kohli, with his exceptional batting prowess, aims to maintain his dominance over the fast bowler.
"Mark Wood, I have played against Mark Wood. I think he is a great bowler, he has skillset to trouble the batsmen, so I would like to test myself against real pace," says Virat Kohli.
Another English player on Kohli's radar is spinner Adil Rashid, who has posed a considerable challenge for the former Indian captain in previous encounters, having dismissed him nine times in international cricket. Despite Rashid's success, Kohli maintains an impressive average of 64.4 against him. Their battles on the field have been intense, with Kohli holding a strike rate of 93.1 against Rashid in ODIs.
"Adil Rashid is a very underrated bowler and he has been doing amazingly well for England, a very challenging bowler that I am looking forward to play against," says Virat Kohli.
Adil Rashid, with six wickets in the current World Cup, continues to be a key figure in England's bowling lineup. Kohli is keen to face this spin maestro once again and strive to enhance his performance against him.
Furthermore, Kohli expressed his interest in playing the famous reverse scoop shot associated with England batter Joe Root. Root has had a subdued tournament, managing only 175 runs in five matches, with a high score of 82. Kohli and his team are well aware of the impact Root can have, and they are preparing to counter his skills.
"Joe is a great all round, the way he plays the reverse slap, I would like to take that shot," Kohli added.
In Kohli's 35 one-day internationals against England, he has accumulated 1340 runs, including three centuries. His average of 43.22 against England is a statistic he aims to improve upon, and he currently trails Sachin Tendulkar by 116 runs for the most ODI runs against England.
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