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MS Dhoni to miss first Test: Virat Kohli confirmed captain

Virat Kohli continues to amaze fans. (AFP PHOTO/ PUNIT PARANJPE)
8th December, 2014
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Indian skipper MS Dhoni will miss the first Test, with Virat Kohli to take the captaincy of the time as widely expected.

Dhoni has returned in the lead-up to the match, but has been unable to keep wicket due to the a thumb injury suffered in early November.

He has been tipped to miss at least the first match of the series.

Kohli said the Indians expected their skipper to play in the series, but not in the first match.

“We expect him to be 100 per cent fit in the next few days … we want him to be 100 per cent before he plays a game.”

Kohli vowed to fight fire with fire in his first Test as Indian captain, and backed his pacemen to cause Australia’s batsmen some trouble.

“This one of the best bowling attacks we’ve had in a while. Guys who are bowling with pace and they’re fit,” he said.

Asked about combatting Mitchell Johnson, who claimed 37 wickets in the 2013-14 Ashes series, Kohli noted his side couldn’t focus on one man.

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“We’re not giving it too much importance,” he said.

“There’s nothing very special about a particular individual or a few individuals.”

Kohli attended Phillip Hughes’ funeral in Macksville on Wednesday and suggested the 25-year-old’s death had hit the squad hard,

But Kohli said his squad found a way to quickly focus on training.

“You have to move on with the game and we don’t want to be in a position where we’re lacking in preparation going into the first Test.”

With AAP

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