India vs Australia | This win will give India more confidence, believes Virat Kohli

SportsCafe Desk

BySportsCafe Desk,SportsCafe Editor

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Virat Kohli is of the opinion that the win in the Boxing Day Test match against the Aussies will give the Indian team more confidence for the last game in Sydney. The Indian skipper also credited the pacers, especially Jasprit Bumrah for the brilliant performance in the third Test at the MCG.

It took only 5.3 overs on the final day to bowl out the Australians at the MCG as India registered a big 137-run win in the Boxing Day Test. The last day of the game was marred by rain but the Indian pacers Jasprit Bumrah and Ishant Sharma managed to get rid of the last two men in the middle. With this win, India has taken an unassailable lead in the four-match Test series with one game to be played at the SCG from January 3. Earlier in the series, the Men in Blue started off well with a win in Adelaide while the Kangaroos managed to draw level by beating them in Perth. This has been one of the finest performance by an Indian team Down Under and will give Virat Kohli and his boys a lot of confidence for upcoming fixtures. 

“We are not going to stop here. This (win) will give us more confidence and we will play more positively in Sydney. I think we have been really smart in all the departments in the two matches that we have won. That is the reason we have at least retained the trophy but the job is not done yet. It's not finished at all,” Kohli said at the post-match presentation ceremony, reported cricbuzz. 

“We want to win the last Test match as well, if an opportunity comes our way. We don't want to be complacent. We are all but ready for the final Test match. It's a good thing that I don't read any comments or what the opinions are. What matters is what we decide inside the dressing room as a team unit.”

Out of 20 wickets, the Indian pacers did well to get as many as 15 scalps to their name in the game and Jasprit Bumrah was adjudged the Man of the Match for his nine wickets that he picked up in this match. The Indian skipper had all praises for all the three fast bowlers that India fielded for the third Test. He mentioned that it makes him proud as the captain seeing the way the pace trio is performing at the moment.

“The three seamers have broken a record for the highest number of wickets in a calendar year which is amazing for the pace trio. He (Bumrah) was unlucky not to get wickets in Perth. The way he bowled, it was almost criminal that he didn't reap the rewards. The team management calmed him down and wickets for him came in bunches in this Test and he won us the Test match here at the MCG,” Kohli mentioned. 

“I certainly feel proud as a captain to watch these guys bowling in partnerships, nobody is trying to outdo another guy, it's all about what the team wants and what the kind of breakthroughs team wants. That's why they are so special.”

Mayank Agarwal was impressive in his debut for the Indians as the Karnataka opener went on to score 76 and 42 runs respectively in both the innings at the MCG. Cheteshwar Pujara also looked brilliant in the first innings getting to his 17th Test ton and good for India is that Rohit Sharma did well in the first innings by getting a score of 63*. Kohli opined during the presentation that he is delighted to see that no one is playing for personal milestone in the team and the first-class cricket structure back home made them tougher for the bigger challenges. 

“Our fast class cricket structure is amazing. The tough conditions with the new ball makes bowlers hard and bowling with the old ball proved to be a difference in this match. Mayank Agarwal was amazing, he showed great character. His composure was excellent. Pujara was brilliant too,” informed Kohli. 

“No one is looking for a personal milestone. It is all about taking pride in your roles which you're given. We have to play good cricket to be in the position we are in right now. Nothing is to going to distract us from wanting us to winning that last Test match. We have never been in this position and now is the time to express ourselves even more.”

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