Skip to main content

Our batting in Pune Test 'worst in last two years': Kohli

Pune: India skipper Virat Kohli on Saturday criticised his team 'worst batting performance' following the humiliating 333-run loss in the opening Test of the four-match series against Australia here at the Maharashtra Cricket Association (MCA) Stadium on Saturday.

O'Keefe breaks 57-year-old record as Australia end India's unbeaten run

Chasing a mammoth target of 441, India suffered a second batting collapse in two days and were bowled out for 107 runs in the second innings just on Day Three.

"We got outplayed in this game. No two ways about it. Australia were much better. We've got to take it on the chin. We never took them for granted," Kohli said at the post-match presentation.

"That's probably our worst batting display in the last two years. It was a case of not applying ourselves. Have to sit down and think what we did wrong. Batting was more disappointing than the bowling. We know that Pune is generally low and slow. They exploited it better than us and bowled at a good pace."

The 28-year-old also agreed that the Steve Smith-led side exploited the conditions better, saying, "There was a lot of pressure created on us. They deserved to win this game. I think we did pretty well. If you don't hold onto the chances, it's tough to get back in the game. As I said, I have no excuses. I take the loss on the chin. Big learning Test for me too."

Kohli expressed confidence that his team will bounce back strongly in the remaining three matches.

"I am sure we are going to bounce back strongly. It has been a good run for us (19-match unbeaten streak before this game). Good to see the crowd still supporting us," he said.

India vs Australia - Complete Coverage

The loss ended India's winning streak of 19 matches on the trot and also the 17 match home-winning streak. This was also Kohli's first defeat as captain in Test cricket at home.

India last tasted a home defeat in Tests in 2012 against England.

On a dry, turning pitch that should have suited India's spinners, Smith scored the only hundred of the match and Steve O'Keefe took as many wickets as Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja combined. Keefe was declared Man of the Match.

His 12 for 69 were the best figures ever by a visiting spinner in a Test on Indian soil. He was well supported by Nathan Lyon who picked up four in the second innings.

India are now 0-1 down in the four-match series and going into the second Test, they have a lot to think about, especially about their batting.

Stay updated on the go with Sify Live Scores App. Click here to download it for your device



via Sify.com http://ift.tt/2kWeLHy
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

India withdraw Smith protest as boards make peace in DRS row

India have withdrawn an official protest about the actions of Australia captain Steve Smith in the second test as the governing bodies of both countries moved to bring an end to the acrimony surrounding the ongoing four-match series. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) had earlier registered a complaint to the International Cricket Council (ICC) over Smith looking to the dressing room for guidance on whether to review an lbw decision during the Bengaluru match. Despite the hosts winning the test to level the series at 1-1 on Tuesday, India skipper Virat Kohli alleged the tourists had indulged in the practice throughout the match, sparking a war of words in the media and a robust response from Australia. The boards released a joint statement on Friday saying the chief executives of both bodies had met in Mumbai on Thursday and agreed to try and bring the focus "back to the game" ahead of next week's third test in Ranchi. "India has always cherished a c...
Post a Comment
Read more

Pogba is one of best players when in form: Ole Gunnar Solskjaer

Leeds [UK], Dec 7 (ANI): Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has praised midfielder Paul Pogba, saying that he is one of the best players in the world when he is in good touch. "Paul is going to play when he gets his fitness. He is one of the best players in the world when he's in form and we just need to give him time to be 100 per cent fit," Goal.com quoted Solskjaer as saying. Pogba has endured a frustrating 2019-20 campaign to date, having only managed five Premier League appearances in total due to a string of fitness issues. He is currently recovering from an ankle injury and last played for the club on September 30 against Arsenal. Solskjaer had said that the France international will be out of action till December. "It might be 45 minutes in the first game, it might be half an hour, it might be 90. It depends on what game he comes back in and I'm looking back to get Paul back to where I had him about a year ago," Solskjaer said. ...
Post a Comment
Read more

AB de Villiers becomes top ranked batsman in ODIs

Dubai: South Africa's star batsman AB de Villiers on Friday regained the top spot in the ICC player rankings for One-Day International batsmen after leading the list of run-scorers in the recent series against New Zealand. De Villiers's 262 runs in the series, including a highest of 85 in the third ODI at Wellington, have helped him overtake Australia opener David Warner at the top of the ladder, reclaiming the top spot within two months of losing it to India captain Virat Kohli, according to the International Cricket Council's (ICC) statement. The 33-year-old batsman is on 875 points, four points ahead of Warner and 23 clear of Kohli. Among other batsmen, England's Joe Root and Alex Hales are major gainers as they have reached career-best rankings. Root has reached fourth spot after scoring 195 runs including 101 in the final match in Bridgetown against West Indies while Hales, who knocked up 110 in the same match, his fifth century in the last 20 ODIs, has gained...
Post a Comment
Read more