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Virat Kohli discusses possibility of including both Shikhar Dhawan and KL Rahul in starting eleven; hints at himself batting down the order

Virat Kohli hinted that both KL Rahul and Shikhar Dhawan can play the 1st ODI against Australia.
Virat Kohli hinted that both KL Rahul and Shikhar Dhawan can play the 1st ODI against Australia.

India are set to play Australia in a three-match ODI series beginning from January 14. But they seem set to face a selection dilemma ahead of the first ODI. Both KL Rahul and Shikhar Dhawan scored half-centuries in the last T20I against Sri Lanka and looked in good touch.

With Rohit Sharma, a certain starter in the playing eleven returning, there was a decision to be made between Dhawan and Rahul, to decide who will partner him. But skipper Virat Kohli dicussed the possibility of all the three playing the game, with him batting down the order at number four in the first ODI.

"Look, a guy in form is always good for the team. ...You obviously want to have the best players available and then chose from what the combination should be for the team. There might be a possibility that all three (Rohit, Shikhar and Rahul) might play. It will be interesting to see what balance we want to take in on the field," Kohli said on the eve of the match.

"I would be very happy to do so (bat lower in the order). Look I am not possessive about where I play. I am not insecure about where I bat," he further added.

Kohli batted at number six in the third T20I and gave chances to other players to bat above him and get some game-time. That clearly showed that for Kohli, the welfare of the team came before personal glory and he would continue to do so if the team required it.

"Being the captain of the team, it is my job to make sure that the next lot is also ready. A lot of the other people might not look at it that way, but your job as a captain is not only to look after the team right now but also to prepare a team that you leave behind when you eventually pass it onto someone else," he concluded.

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