England draws up plan to contain Virat Kohli

India scripted a resounding 246run win over England in the second cricket Test to take a 1-0 lead in the five-match series. While skipper Virat Kohli’s aggregate of 248 runs (167 and 81) laid the cornerstone of victory, the contribution of India’s premier all-rounder Ashwin (52 runs and match figures of 8/119) was equally significant. England all-rounder Chris Woakes, who impressed with his bowling in the opening Test, felt that it was crucial to dismiss Kohli early on. Speaking about Kohli’s performance in the previous Test, Woakes said, “Kohli scored lot of those runs, Pujara has also scored. Kohli has scored majority of runs, particularly in that second Test match. So, we are going to have plans to him to try and stop him scoring... Once he gets in, it’s hard to get him out.” 

Despite the humiliating loss, Woakes felt that all was not lost and England have a good chance to bounce back. “I feel that the teams are fairly evenly matched,” he said, at the same time acknowledging that India were playing in their home conditions. About his own form after being rested in the previous tie, he said he was “fit and raring to go”. When asked that bowlers always have niggles and if he felt disappointed to miss you given the way he bowled in the first game, Woakes said, “Yeah, I suppose you always want to play, you don’t want to miss any Test match, particularly when you feel you are in decent form and decent nick. Yeah, I suppose it’s one of those things which happens..” 

On missing the services of their fast bowling spearhead Stuart Broad, Woakes said, “Obviously, it will be a huge loss. He is a world class bowler, he has been there for a long period of time. He has showed how good he is in one spell he bowled, I think it was one of the morning sessions, the last Test match.”