India have registered a convincing win over West Indies in the second ODI by 107 runs. Indian captain Virat Kohli praised the man of the match Rohit Sharma and his opening partner KL Rahul for their brilliant opening stand. The added 227 runs on the board for the first wicket.
“It is always good to see the team getting 40-50 extra than what you would’ve thought at the start of the game. I think it all boils down to the good foundation. Rohit and KL were outstanding, the opening partnership set it up,” he said.
“Even Shreyas and Rishabh, the way they played and scored 55 runs in those two overs. It was fantastic hitting. Credit also has to go to the openers. Look, the more we get confident while batting first in T20 cricket, we can really go out there and express ourselves. It’s been very nice to see the way we batted first especially after losing the toss. It shows we’re not reliant on the toss. We want to bat the opposition out of the game if we bat first,” he shared.
Batting at number 4, Shreyas Iyer scored 53 runs off 32 balls and ensured that India did not lose the momentum at any point. Rishabh Pant too did well in the game with the bat.
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Kohli said, “It was made more out of an issue that it actually was (the number 4 conundrum during World Cup). If the number four doesn’t get to bat consistently, then it doesn’t help. He’s (Shreyas Iyer) grabbed his chances and performed well. It’s a very tricky situation to come in and we are just happy that a youngster has come in and is playing freely.”
However, Virat Kohli wasn’t happy with the team’s fielding as it was a below-par.
“Our catching has been disappointing. It is not the representation of the kind of standards that we set. It’s very important to maintain standards and live upto it. We are one of the best fielding sides in the world. Fielding is all about wanting the ball. As long as we are enjoying that, we will be right up there,” he shared.
“It was a much needed victory for us. We wanted to get our act together,” he said. “We had a very very crucial partnership. KL batted brilliantly and allowed me to take my time. KL is such a talent when you watch it from the opposite end. He is growing in confidence,” Kohli expressed.
“I have said it many a times, once you get past your 10o, you should bat as long as possible. As long as a set batter is out, you can get how much ever you want. I have played 200 plus ODIs, it is my responsibility to get as many runs as I can for the team,” Virat Kohli concluded.
