The good thing was that we did not bowl that much in the first innings, so everyone’s mindset in the second innings was, yes, we can bowl again.
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West Indies crumbled to an innings defeat against India on the fourth day of the first Test after offspinner Ravichandran Ashwin claimed 7-83 with some inspired bowling. He had not picked up any wickets in the first innings.
Kohli hailed his bowlers’ attitude, who dominated the West Indian batsmen in both the innings. The duo managed to play out a tough spell from Ashwin and Mishra and got the runs capitalising on the loose balls.
“I think that’s the most important for this team going forward”.
“All in all, as a bowling unit, it was good execution, and the bowlers will be quite pleased with their performance, and as a captain I am pleased too”, he added.
Carlos Brathwaite and Devendra Bishoo put up a dogged defiance for the ninth wicket as they delayed the inevitable. The margin of the victory, secured within four days, was India’s largest outside Asia and gave the side a 1-0 lead in the four-match series.
At the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, Rajendra Chandrika (22) and Marlon Samuels (39) put on 55 runs for the third wicket before the morning session was cut short by rain and early lunch taken. Both Chandrika (16) and Brathwaite (11 not out) didn’t seem to be looking for runs, and instead chose to play for time, leaving as many deliveries as possible.
But it was short-lived as Chandrika had a faintinside-edge off Ashwin in the 36th over, judged accurately bythe umpire and caught on the third attempt by Wriddhiman Saha. “It was a daunting task, trying to chase 560-odd”, said West Indies captain Jason Holder.
In the very next over, he removed Jermaine Blackwood (0) for a second duck in the match, with skipper Virat Kohli holding a magnificent diving catch at midwicket to aid in the dismissal. “I wanted to give something back to the team, and show that I was good batting at No.6”, Ashwin said.
India left no stone unturned as West Indies struggled to find their niche. In doing so, the 29-year-old earned himself a five-for and a hundred in the same Test for the second time.
With boosted confidence after a win outside the country, Virat Kohli feels that it is a “good habit” that his boys can create in order to become a formidable Test team anywhere in the world. They stuck to their plans very well. “Need to be confident, but not complacent”, Kohli said.
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India amassed 566 for eight declared in their firstinnings and then bowled out West Indies for 243 and forced thehosts to follow-on.
