Colombo, September 1
Having registered their first series win on the Sri Lankan soil in more than two decades, Indian skipper Virat Kohli today declared that there will be no change in his team’s philosophy of aggressive cricket as “drawn game is the last option’ for his team.
“We maintain that drawing a Test match has to be the last option for our group right now. They have responded beautifully and there is nothing better than winning” said Kohli. “I think this might be the kind of boost we require to beat other teams as well. This is the right kind of push that this team needed.”
“I think winning is really, really encouraging for the squad. Especially, the way we have won this series should be the kind of catalyst for us to play the same brand of cricket wherever we play in the future,” the skipper said.
Cheteshwar Pujara’s classy 145 laid the foundation for the series win and the skipper was first one to acknowledge that. “Cheteshwar’s knock was world class. One of the best I have seen in Test cricket. Apart from that, the bowlers really stood out in this series,” said the young skipper.
With India failing to close out a lot of matches in the past, Kohli was asked what has changed for this group. “I can’t really pinpoint what has changed, but the one difference I have seen is that we have capitalised on important moments in the game.” “As I said, to win a Test match you need to take 20 wickets. The way bowlers have bowled in partnerships stood out for me. I think this series belongs to the bowlers, they have been outstanding.” — PTI