India captain Virat Kohli was pleased about his side retaining the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. He added, “Now we will seek to win the Test series.”
He lauded Jasprit Bumrah’s match-winning bowling. “Jasprit is the best paceman in the world according to me. He is a match-winner. His mindset is totally different. He looks at a wicket and doesn’t see toil. He sees wickets.”
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Kohli elaborated, “The way Bumrah has matured and the areas he is bowling, it’s a scary sign for the batsmen around the world in Test cricket. I mean if there is a pitch like in Perth, I wouldn’t want to face Bumrah to be honest because if he gets on a roll he can really crank it up and the way he bowls is so much more different to anyone.”
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The Indian captain added, “I think he realizes that more than the batsmen and that’s why he is so confident about his skills.”
Adapting to team's needs
Kohli recognised the value of Cheteshwar Pujara. “He has been a lot more flexible in altering his game from the last time he played in Australia, he has made a few changes to his set-up, and that’s working for him.
"And now we have the bowling attack that we can rely on to get us 20 wickets and his role becomes even more crucial if he can bat time and hold one end up and enable us to get 350-400.”
Kohli was also appreciative of Mayank Agarwal’s batting on debut. “Mayank’s composure, his intent and belief, it was a huge boost for us.”
Asked about R. Ashwin's inclusion for the Sydney Test, Kohli said, “It depends on the nature of the pitch. I think Ashwin’s very close to being match-fit. He’s been bowling a lot of overs and I’m sure these next four days will make him even stronger.”
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Winning overseas an obsession
Kohli said winning Test series abroad should occupy your thoughts at all times. “If you see, if you want to win a series away from home, it has to become an obsession. And once you are obsessed, changing your decisions according to opinions is not an option at all.”
He gave credit to his bowlers. “It is a collective effort. To be honest, in bowlers’ meeting, I usually just sit and listen. It is very important to understand what the bowlers are thinking. And then in that process, you think of a plan B, and you communicate that to the bowlers. That’s how we operate.”
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