Team culture a priority for skipper Kohli & Shastri

By Baidurjo Bhose

Leeds, July 6 (IANS) The secret to a team being successful is often the culture that the captain and the coach creates in and around the team. And Dinesh Karthik has revealed that one of the reasons why this Indian team has done so well is the environment in the team wherein all the 15 players are treated equally and there is no special leeway for those in the playing XI.

"Every member in this 15 prepares every game believing that he can play. I say that because we get a handful of opportunities. Obviously when they tell us we're not playing, then obviously that's when we know whether we're playing or not. But up until then, we practice in such a manner that we are knowing we're going to play in the 11," he revealed.

In fact, it has been a common feature at the India nets under skipper Virat Kohli and coach Ravi Shastri that even the bowlers are given proper training at the nets when it comes to their batting and it isn't just the net bowlers provided by the local association that bowls at them. The same goes for the non-playing members.

"We get an opportunity to hit in the practice. We get to play against bowlers. So basically we're treated like we're playing in the 11. So we try and prepare like we're playing in the 11," Karthik said.

Even on Friday, the culture was visible as opener Mayank Agarwal was given proper training by batting coach Sanjay Bangar even though he has just come in and might have to wait for his turn to play for the team in this edition of the World Cup.

And then, when Navdeep Saini was bowling, trying to hit the bottom of the off-stump with his yorkers, bowling coach Bharat Arun was right there, observing every single delivery and providing the necessary inputs. Clearly, this team is all about creating the right environment.

(Baidurjo Bhose can be contacted at baidurjo.b@ians.in)