India vs Australia 1st Test: Bowlers shouldn't consider extra workload as burden, advises Kohli

The hard bouncy tracks and big grounds could test a bowler's strength and stamina but the skipper believes that his bowlers won't treat it as an adversity but a challenge

The Indian bowling attack, rated as the most balanced in recent years, will have its task cut in all-rounder Hardik Pandya's absence but the additional workload on hard Australian wickets shouldn't be perceived as "burden", reckoned skipper Virat Kohli.

Pandya is currently recuperating from a back injury and many pundits believed that Baroda all-rounder suited Australian conditions. The Indian skipper agreed that four-man attack led by Ishant Sharma will have to share those extra overs amongst themselves, a cushion that all-rounder Pandya would have given.

“Losing the all-rounder obviously has an impact. I mean every side would like to have a fast-bowling all-rounder, which we don't have right now with Hardik (Pandya) injured. That obviously is a great luxury to have for any side,” Kohli said on the eve of the first Test starting Thursday.

The hard bouncy tracks and big grounds could test a bowler's strength and stamina but the skipper believes that his bowlers won't treat it as an adversity but a challenge. 

“They (bowlers) should look forward to that and not think of it as a burden or something which is going to be tough. Because at the international level, things are tough. So, we will just have to embrace that and make something out of the resources that we have at present and try to put in the performances that the team expects from the players,” Kohli explained team's mindset.

About the opposition bowling attack, Kohli spoke about showing positive intent against Nathan Lyon, considered by many as the best off-spinner of his time.

“He (Lyon) understands the pace of the wicket, the bounce it's going to provide him and the where the fielder should be. He hits the bat harder and quicker than any other spinner that I have faced in Australia. You have to at your best against guys like Nathan and their bowling attack,” skipper said.

“We definitely aren't going to think too much about anyone but we are also not going to be tentative against anyone. We just have to back our game and show that we are confident of our skill sets and guys have to find ways to play different bowlers accordingly. Some might want to sweep an off-spinner and some might not.

“So we just have to figure out our game plans, as I said, adapt quickly, see how the wicket is behaving and find a way to score runs. We just don't want to stand there and do nothing. You have got to score runs if you want to win Test matches,” Kohli concluded.