After achieving their first Test victory in Australia since January 2018, the Indian captain Virat Kohli feels proud on his four regular bowlers who took a total of 20 wickets to seal that victory.
Indian bowlers were much disciplined in the whole game as their performances led the side to win the Adelaide Test by 31 runs. In this entire game, Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin (6/149) and the pacer Jasprit Bumrah (6/115) bagged a total of six wickets each while the other Indian pacers Mohammed Shami (5/123) and Ishant Sharma (3/95) picked up five and three wickets respectively.
At the post-match presentation, Indian skipper Virat Kohli said, “I wouldn’t say I was cool as ice but you just don’t try to show it. Jasprit was getting worked up in his last over but I just told him to relax. Super proud (of the bowlers), to have four bowlers and take 20 wickets is a great achievement. Something that we haven’t done in the past.”
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The 30-year-old right-handed batsman Cheteshwar Pujara performed outstandingly with the bat in both the innings of this game. His both contributions – 123 and 71 – came in very critical situations while he kept patience to guide the team for a good total. Praising his performances, Kohli didn’t forget Ajinkya Rahane’s (70) important second innings contribution.
Talking about the Player of the Match Pujara, Kohli said, “It was priceless from Pujara. His grit and determination brought us back in it. We always knew that runs on the board would make the home side tentative. Any lead was gold and we got 15. In the second innings again, he and Rahane batted well.”
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This Adelaide Test victory is India’s sixth Test victory in Australia out of 45 Tests in this country. Also, it was their first victory in the opening game of a Test series in Australia.
Speaking on this victory, Kohli said, “These things happen in Tests, ups and downs through a game. Odds were stacked against them. They fought really well but we executed our plans well. (It) shows us that if the batsmen step up regularly, we will be gunning for a win in every Test match. Collectively we were the better team and deserved to win.”
However, Kohli felt that the lower middle-order and lower-order batsmen could add more runs on the scoreboard and it is one of the things which they have needed to improve. In the second innings, after the brilliant 87-run fourth-wicket partnership between Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane, India lost their wickets in regular intervals. It happened worst for the tail-enders as India was bowled out on 307 runs from 303/6.
Talking about that batting collapse in the second innings, Kohli said, “I think our lower middle order and lower order could have done better. We could have added another 30-35 runs more which could have taken the game totally beyond Australia. So these are things that we have to think about going to Perth but if someone had told me before the series that I would be 1-0 up as soon we started the series, I would have taken it with both hands.”
On the other hand, the Australian captain Tim Paine claimed it was a well-deserved victory for India but also feels proud on lower-order battings.
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In the post-match presentation, Paine said, “It’s pretty shattering really. [But] Proud of the fight from the lower order. [It was] A well-deserved win for India. We thought we could win, no doubt about that, but our batters couldn’t bat for long enough with our tail.”
The Aussie Test captain further added, “I thought Pujara was probably the difference between the two sides. We go to Perth with a belief we can still win this Test series.”
