Won't let Kohli settle into rhythm: England's Ball

England pace bowler Jake Ball on Tuesday said the visitors will try to unsettle Indian skipper Virat Kohli with short balls and not let him find his rhythm while batting during the second One-Day International (ODI) cricket match.

Kohli scored a gritty 122 for the hosts to better the visitors in the opening game of the three-match ODI series at Pune on Sunday, pulling them 1-0 ahead. The second match will be played here on January 19.

Chasing a difficult 351-run target, the hosts were tottering at 63/4 but a 200-run fifth wicket partnership by Kohli and Kedar Jadhav put India in command.

Jadhav smashed 120 runs in a whirlwind 76-ball innings that included 12 boundaries and four sixes while Kohli's 105-ball innings was laced with eight fours and five sixes.

"I think that under the lights where it may skid on a bit more -- you can use the shorter ball a little bit more... But I think it's just trying to mix it up as much as you can... try not to let him get settled and hope he hits one up in the air," Ball told BBC Radio 5 live.

"He's an unbelievable player. We saw a lot of him in the Tests and he started the ODI series really well.

"We've got plans for him and, hopefully, we can put them into practice in a couple of days' time," said the pacer, who was the most successful among the England bowlers with figures of 3/67 at Pune.

--IANS

gau/sam/dg