After New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson won the toss and choose to bat first in the first semi-final of the 2019 International Cricket Council (ICC) World Cup, Indian skipper Virat Kohli on Tuesday said that the Men in Blue too would have batted first had they won the toss at the Old Trafford in Manchester.
"We would have batted first. It is a fresh wicket, nice and hard, and not moist. A bit of rain around as well, the ball will get wet as the game goes on. It could remain decent throughout the game. It is going to remain similar throughout the course of the game. We have done well in Manchester," Kohli said.
Hoping that the pitch would not deteriorate much throughout the game, Kohli called on his side to just focus on their basics while bowling against New Zealand.
Talking about the team changes, the 30-year-old skipper revealed that India have just made one change in their Playing XI as Yuzvendra Chahal has been brought in place of Kuldeep Yadav.
"We have had two good games in Manchester, and it's about focussing on the basics. We need to remember why we are in the semis. Chahal comes back in for Kuldeep Yadav," Kohli said.
India finished their group stage at the numero-uno spot, having won seven out of the nine matches they played in the ongoing edition of the quadrennial event. The Men in Blue's league stage clash against New Zealand was abandoned without a ball being bowled due to incessant rain.
The Kain Williamson-led side, on the other end, made a fourth-place finish in the World Cup 2019 points table after winning five out of their nine matches. However, New Zealand are heading into the semi-final encounter on the back of three successive defeats.
The two outfits last faced each other in a World Cup clash back in 2003. Weather is expected to play spoilsport yet again with a reserve day for the two semi-finals as well as final in place.
