However, he was level-headed in victory and pointed out areas that needed ironing out including wrapping up the tailenders.
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Cricketers – past and present – took to social media on Monday to congratulate the Virat Kohli-led Team India for its crushing win over the West Indies in the opening Test of the four-match series in Antigua.
“It was a decent knock in the first innings but I would have loved to go on”, said Brathwaite at the close of play. “Getting a five-wicket haul away from sub-continent is something I have worked earnestly towards and I am really pleased for myself”, Ashwin said. “It was quite a tiring innings because I played about 250 balls, and after that to come out and exhibit how I could bowl after a exhausted innings”.
Asked to follow-on, Windies suffered an early blow after Ishant Sharma (1-3) got the prized-wicket of in-form Kraigg Brathwaite (2) in the very first over of the second innings. The hosts in their first innings were bowled out for 243, and were made to bat again after India chose to enforce follow-on option. Whenever the team has struggled outside India, he has counter-attacked and believed in his batting ability.
In all the years of touring overseas, India have rarely come out with such objective in the first Test. “I don’t think we executed well enough”, he added. As I’ve said before, we are not at a stage now where we need to come and improve. Dowrich meanwhile got to his second Test half-century off 75 balls, even as runs started flowing owing to the hardness of the new ball. As we know, if we learn to win Test matches, then we’ll learn how to win Tests everywhere. The plan was to bowl at a consistent spot for long periods of time and that is why we were successful.
While hailing Ashwin’s bowling after the offie finished with 7 wickets, Kohli also praised Amit Mishra, who picked crucial wickets in both innings. That’s when Kohli digged in his heels further and notched up his first double century.
“In the first innings, I went wicketless for about 25-25 over’s that I bowled in the match”. He congratulated everyone and gave special mention to the guys who made important contributions in the game.
In the first innings, the fast bowlers sparked the down fall of the hosts, Ashwin was the second most happening.
However, the home batting duo of Chandrika and Samuels came out with strong resistance to deny India any more wickets at the Sir Vivian Richards stadium.
However, the 27-year-old also pointed out avenues for improvement for the squad despite the facile win.
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“Honestly, I think this Man of the Match award could have gone to Virat Kohli as well”, he told bcci.tv on Sunday (July 24). We want to win as many games in the series as possible. It was no different from one day to the other as the visitors looked in command and were seldom challenged.
