India cricket team captain Virat Kohli on Thursday said that the workload of premier fast bowlers Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami will be closely monitored and managed during the white-ball series against Australia to keep them in good shape for the Tests, reported PTI.

After Ishant Sharma’s absence due to an injury, it is expected that Shami and Bumrah  will have to the carry the bulk of the burden during the Test series and they will be rotated during the ODIs and T20 Internationals starting from Friday.

Kohli said, “It’s a no-brainer. They have gone through a full IPL. It will be important to monitor their workload. You want to see how people react to different situations. There is a fine balance that you need to maintain, something we have managed to do for the last few years.”

He added, “That is why our bowlers have been fit and available for the important matches most of the times for us. It is an important factor for me as a captain. It is going to be crucial.”

According to Kohli, although it can be intimidating to play cricket over here, a good performance does get the respect it deserves. He said, “If you perform well, you get a lot of respect. As a sportsman I am a big fan of it. The stadiums are amazing, always a nice tour full of challenges.”

Regarding the youngsters, he said, “Yes, we have definitely discussed those things. There are a lot of young guys in the squad. It is a great opportunity for them to realise something new about their game. It’s a very important series for them. Definitely looking forward to seeing how they shape up.”

Kohli said that there is nothing to prove to anyone for him. He said, “I don’t come to any place to prove anything to anyone anymore. Growth is the only focus, on the field or off the field. That would be a template for me going forward.”