adminIn Fletcher’s backroom coaching staff, there is Trevor Penney, another Zimbabwean.
“Guys who have played here before have shared that input, but Duncan has been a great help, not just for this series but overall since he’s been coach,” Kohli told Cricinfo.
“He had really difficult times initially and was criticised a lot, but he’s stuck with the team and stayed strong and we’ve seen the results now.
“We’re really benefiting from all the experience he has — he has the best cricketing brain in the world and just has so much knowledge about the game.
“Him and Trevor Penney are both really excited to be here because they haven’t been here for a while, so it’s a good feeling to have both of them who’ve played here, helping us in that department.”
India’s squad has, potentially, five ODI debutants.
“I don’t think experience matters so much in one-day cricket, because we’ve played so much in the IPL back home that we know how to play in different situations,” said Kohli.
“I think that’s helped in a big way as far as limited-overs cricket is concerned.
“All the players in the team are quite young right now, and our careers are building up together. I think it’s really exciting for Indian cricket, especially in the one-day format, that 15 players can sort of grow up together in international cricket. “It’s really important to have a strong bond in the team, and we have that right now.”
For most cricket teams, losing a generation of legends in a short space of time would be disastrous.
Not so India.
In barely more than two years, India’s World Cup-winning side has been chopped, shopped and rendered barely recognizable, but their new school is ready and waiting to take up the mantle. “If you have such big players going out of the team suddenly, you do feel a little weird initially but it’s all about how you pick it up and the guys have done a brilliant job in that,” said Kohli.
“A transition is never easy, and the guys have taken up the responsibility. — Cricinfo/Sports Reporter.
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