Consistency and replicating home success is the key of winning on foreign soil, says Virat Kohli

Consistency and replicating home success is the key of winning on foreign soil, says Virat Kohli

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Written by: SportsCafe Desk

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Virat Kohli has said that the current team can only be termed as a successful one if the young team can replicate their home form in up upcoming overseas series as well. Kohli's statement was in reference to Sunil Gavaskar's claim that the current team could become the India's greatest ODI side.

Sunil Gavaskar, impressed by the game put forth by the current Team India, said that this team could end up being the greatest ODI side the nation has ever produced. 

"It is a decent compliment. Obviously coming from him (Gavaskar), it feels good because he has seen a lot of Indian teams over the past few years,” Kohli told PTI reporters after the loss in the 4th ODI in Bengaluru. 

"(But) the journey is long because the team is young. We are playing at home right now. If we can replicate this form in conditions that are alien to us after that we can sit down and be happy with what we have done so far,” said Kohli.

India’s winning streak of nine matches was snapped by Australia yesterday and with the defeat, India also lost their status as the top-ranked team in the 50-over format. However, India with India leading the five-match series 3-1 and the fifth and final ODI to be played in Nagpur, they still have a chance of reclaiming the top spot again. 

“It is all about repeating those processes and try and do the same thing again and again and be consistent in giving the best shots,” the skipper added. 

Kohli also defended the team management’s decision of giving the reserves a go in the 4th ODI. The pace duo of Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Jasprit Bumrah were replaced by Umesh Yadav and Mohammed Shami. But the move backfired as Australia put up a competitive score of 335, after opting to bat, in the first innings.

"We have won the series and you have to try out guys at some stage. You need to test your bench strength as well and you need to give those guys game time. I think Umesh bowled well, even Shami bowled well. Umesh even picked up four wickets,” Kohli said backing the decision.

“I am not someone who sits and thinks maybe I shouldn’t have done this. You try, you go for something, if it doesn’t work make another plan and you go for it again. That is exactly what I think and what the whole squad thinks.”

Kohli also talked about the partnership of Man of the moment Hardik Pandya (41) and Kedar Jadhav (67) who shared a 61 run partnership for the fifth wicket to keep India in the hunt during the chase. He said that the partnership would serve as a vital lesson for the duo.

“When Hardik and Kedar were batting we thought this was the ideal situation for them to understand how the game can be taken till the end. They really did a good job with that partnership,” the skipper said.

“There are a few positives from the game but this pitch was such that one team had to bat better than the other.”

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