IND vs BAN | Pitches look different when Indian pacers bowl, feels Virat Kohli
Virat Kohli praised the Indian fast bowling attack saying that the pitch looks different when they operate on it. India defeated Bangladesh by an innings and 130 runs in Indore to go 1-0 up in two-match Test series, courtesy some excellent bowling by Mohammad Shami, Ishant Sharma, and Umesh Yadav.
India has looked near-impossible to beat ever since the start of the ICC Test Championship, with the win in Indore being their sixth consecutive one. While the batsmen have all played their part, it is the bowlers — especially the pacers — that have landed the killer blows. Kohli rightly noted that the dismantling of the Proteas, and now Bangladesh, has come in the absence of spearhead Jasprit Bumrah.Â
“I don't really know what to say. Clinical performances all around. The team is playing really well. Fast bowlers are at the top of their game. It looks like a different pitch when they bowl,” Kohli said at the post-match presentation, reported Cricbuzz.
“Right now, Jasprit is not a part of the attack. So, when he comes back it will be one heck of an attack to counter. It's a dream bowling combination for any skipper. Even the slip fielders are ready as they know the ball can come any over. Having strong bowlers is the most important thing. The numbers and the records are there for everyone to see,” he said.
However impressive the bowlers were, it was double centurion Mayank Agarwal who bagged the Man of the Match honours. Kohli explained his gestures from the dressing room to his young opener as he crossed one milestone after.
“I know the importance of getting big scores, I took a lot of time so I wanted him to score big. So as a senior batsman I wanted to make sure that he stayed focused. I don't want the guys to make the same mistakes that I made,” he reasoned.Â
Six in six may have come with relative ease, but now the Men in Blue head to the Eden Gardens in Kolkata to play Test cricket under lights, and Kohli, like everyone else, is excited about the historical event.
“The pink ball does a lot early on, more than the red ball. The pink ball Test is going to be exciting. It's going be a landmark event for Indian cricket and Indian Test cricket. The crowd over the last three days have been brilliant. It gives the players extra motivation to go out and put that extra effort,” Kohli added.