India vs Australia | Last time we lost like this, we had our best run after that, says Virat Kohli

02/25/2017

Despite a shocking loss to Australia, Virat Kohli chose to remain positive recalling that India were inspired to go on their best run only after losing a Test in similar fashion last time around. The skipper also praised pacer Umesh Yadav and placed the blame on the batsmen for the debacle.

“It’s fine. It’s just another international game for us. Just like we should be calm and composed after a win, we have to rise after a loss. The last time we suffered such a loss, we had our best run after that. The loss in Galle was the last one and after that, we won 19 matches,” Virat Kohli said in the post-match speech.

India had been on an unbeaten streak of 19 matches since that loss to Sri Lanka which saw them wrest back the series 1-2, defeat South Africa at home, West Indies away, before they whitewashed visiting New Zealand and England sides. Australia, who had been demolished by a mediocre Sri Lanka side before losing at home to South Africa, were expected to be a footnote in that list. But the visitors have, in contrast, made the mighty Indian side look lost for most parts of the first match of the series.

Kohli, however, refused to blame the bowlers who were pedestrian barring Umesh Yadav who worked the old ball to great effect.

“I am not blaming the bowlers one bit. The batsmen put us in this position in both innings and they let us down. There are a few takeaways from this match but all are from the bowling aspect. Umesh Yadav bowling nicely in the match,” Kohli said.

Kohli, who has been the bedrock of India's successes all this while with his consistent form faced the first blip in that trajectory - he was out for a duck in the first innings and for 13 in the second innings. In the second innings today afternoon, he chose to leave out a delivery from Steve O’Keefe pitched down the middle expecting it to turn only to see it crash into his middle stump.

Speaking about the tame dismissal, “It was error in judgement from my side. I should have waited for the ball a bit more. But you do not know which ball will turn and which will not,” he said.

Kohli also attributed the change in the mindset of the batsmen after a forgettable first-innings collapse as the reason for their poor show in the second.

“Batsmen’s mindset changes when you don’t have good score in first innings espcially in India. All of the batsmen need to pull of their socks. We played bad cricket. We need to learn from the mistakes,” he said.

The second Test will begin on March 4 at Kohli's home ground in the IPL, the Chinnaswamy stadium in Bangalore, and the skipper looked forward to putting the Aussies under pressure there.

“I assure you that we will come out with more intent in Bangalore and put Australia under pressure right from the word go,” he said.