Virat Kohli is the 'benchmark', says West Indies assistant coach Roddy Estwick

Virat Kohli is the benchmark and that's the reason why all West Indies players should learn from the Indian skipper to accomplish their goal, perceives the Windies assistant coach Roddy Estwik. During a media conference ahead of the ODI series, starting on Sunday, the West Indies assistant coach stated that team’s youngsters like Shimron Hetmyer and Nicholas Pooran must learn from the Indian skipper Virat Kohli.

"It's exciting times for us when you look at guys like Hetmyer, Pooran and Hope. We have got young batsmen who are developing. But the key thing is how you prepare to work hard. You have got a benchmark in Virat Kohli. He is somebody who will be in the gym and work very hard," he said on Friday. "A lot of players can learn from him. Then, we have got a chance. Without hard work, there is no success. Hard work is boring but it can give you great success. Once they keep working and dealing with the process, they will have a chance."

Estwick stated that the players had been brilliant on this tour but warned that in cricket one cannot be complacent. "They have been brilliant on this tour, we can't fault them. They have worked really hard. They are beginning to see the results. If you look at Hetmyer's play in the T20s, it was exciting. Now, we move to a longer format. People forget the fact that at a very young age, he already has four ODI hundreds. Obviously, there is a lot of talent there. In cricket, you cannot rest and relax," he added.

The Windies assistant coach also stated that the Caribbean side had done well enough to close the gap with India in the T20s and expects to do the same in ODIs too. "We are happy with the way we performed in the T20s. When these two teams played three T20s in the Caribbean, the gulf between them was wide. We are happy that we have narrowed that gap (in the T20 matches) and hope to do the same in 50 overs," he added.

When questioned about challenges in store for the young spinners in the visiting side he said: "It’s a learning curve for these young spinners – Hayden Walsh Jr, Kharry Pierre and Roston Chase. It’s all about learning and building blocks for the 2023 World Cup. "Once you play against the best, it helps you to raise your game and standard. So, it is good that we are playing against a quality side like India," he added.

When asked on what aspect was Romario Shepherd added to the West Indies squad, Estwick stated that he was a very good player and would add depth in the squad. "He will add good skills to the bowling department and backend batting. He is also an excellent fielder. He is another youngster who we are trying to give opportunities to.

"The only way to find out what a player can to do is to put them against the best. We will see if they have got the temperament and skill and then you can add things to what they are doing. I hope he will learn from a tour like India," he added.

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