Virat Kohli said that India need to get their batting combination right before the 2019 World Cup as the middle order again faltered against England to hand over the ODI series to the hosts.
Reflecting on India’s defeat, Kohli said at the post-match presentation, “We’ve got to get our act right and get the balance of the side and make sure we are not over-reliant on one skill.”
This was India’s first ODI series loss since January 2016 and Virat Kohli’s first ODI series loss as captain.
Kohli defended India’s decision to replace Lokesh Rahul with Dinesh Karthik. “We thought Dinesh did well, but he couldn’t convert his start, so I don’t regret the batting order changes. Shardul was meant to get some exposure, and Bhuvi needed to make a comeback. When the changes don’t come off, they look unnecessary so it must be taken in our stride,” he said.
The teams will now face each other in a five-match Test series.
--By A Cricket Correspondent