WI v IND | We had to grind it out, shows our good temperament in Tests, says Virat Kohli
Virat Kohli reckons that his side had to grind it out on more than one occasion, showcasing their temperament in good stead, to register their first win in the ICC Test Championship. West Indies were blown away for just 100, to hand the visitors a 318-run win and a 1-0 lead in the series.
Given the huge margin, one may feel that India had a walk in the park at Antigua. However, a keen spectator would agree with Kohli saying that the two teams were well-matched for most parts of the contest.
“Even last time we played here, the first Test was very good for us. This time it was even more hard work. Jinks (Rahane) was very good in both the innings. It was more of a grind. We had to come back into the game three or four times. That's where our temperament has been good in Tests,” Kohli said at the post-match presentation, reported Cricbuzz.
The star man for the Men in Blue in the fourth innings was none other than their No.1 bowler, Jasprit Bumrah. Kohli said that the break from the shorter formats of the game was much needed for Bumrah.
“Managing player workloads is very important for us and that's why he didn't play any white-ball cricket after the World Cup. We wanted him fresh for this Test series. He (Bumrah) will be a key player for us as far as the Test championship is concerned. We know how good a player he is,” Kohli said.
In fact, it wasn’t just Bumrah who shone with the ball. In the first innings, it was his senior partner, Ishant Sharma, who picked up a five-fer to give India a vital 75-run lead. Kohli was quick to shower praise on his pace battery.
“Those three are bowling well as a group. We are pretty settled as a bowling combination. Combination is absolutely based on players who can provide more than one skill. It is about managing the resources that we have and feeling settled about it. There will always be opinions on a team selected. It's a responsibility that I'm fulfilling. It's a blessing that I am in a position to contribute to my team in more than one way. Nothing is possible without the team. I am taking the decisions but it is up to the individuals to do the execution,” he said.
Going into the second Test, India will remain strong favourites to complete a clean sweep of the Windies. However, Kohli does not believe that the hosts will surrender easily.
“We will be put under pressure and we need to be more solid. We have enjoyed each other's success and that's been our key. We need to be even more solid and try to plug in the gaps from this game,” Kohli added.
The second and final Test match will start from August 30 at Sabina Park.
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