Want to make winning a habit: Virat

North Sound (Antigua), July 25 

Winning is “contagious” and Indian Test captain Virat Kohli wants to make a habit of it in order to become a formidable Test team.

India trounced West Indies by an innings and 92 runs, their biggest win outside Asia, in four days in the first Test of the four-match series.

“We want to create winning habits, good habits. And you know, winning is contagious. If we learn to win Test matches, then we’ll learn how to win Tests everywhere. We will learn how to play in different situations and we will know exactly what to do when a certain situation is going a certain way,” Kohli said.

“We want to be a consistent side; we need to set ourselves goals and look to execute those rather than looking at the opposition. I think this team is willing to do it,” he added.

“That for me is a very pleasing thing as a captain and for the team as well. Everyone understands the way we want to play on the field, where we need to bat, how we need to bowl. We need to be comfortable with what the team requires and I think that’s most important for this team going forward.”

Good bowling

It was an all-round effort from the bowlers with pacers Mohammed Shami and Umesh Yadav snaring eight scalps among themselves in the first innings and off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin taking 7/83 in the second innings. “It was a very good effort from the bowlers. 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. I think the first innings ended at a perfect time for us last evening, and then we got 13-14 overs and got a wicket again.

“So it was good to get some rest in the evening, and the bowlers’ attitude was very good; all of them voluntarily said ‘yes, we will bowl’, and the spinners took the responsibility,” said the skipper.

What Kohli liked was the extra load that spinners took in the second innings knowing that Yadav and Shami had bowled the bulk of overs in the first innings.

“They knew the fast bowlers had done a lot of bowling in the first innings, so they would have to take that responsibility. Ashwin obviously bowled very well, and Mishra also bowled very well but didn’t get (many) wickets. But both kept the pressure on, and we talk about partnership bowling — that was a classic example. All in all, as a bowling unit, it was good execution.”

It was a winning start for new coach Anil Kumble. “Having played for so long I think he (Kumble) understands how the players feel about a victory. He congratulated everyone and gave special mention to the guys who made important contributions in the game,” said Kohli.

“It might not be seen too much but those important breakthroughs and moments are very crucial for the team to win. He understands that very nicely and he was obviously very happy with the victory. It’s a great start for him — first game as coach and we end up winning by an innings. We are very happy all round,” he added. — PTI

Scoreboard

India 1st innings 566/8 d 

West Indies 1st innings

K Brathwaite c Saha b Yadav 74

R Chandrika c Saha b Shami 16

D Bishoo  st Saha b Mishra 12

D Bravo c Saha b Shami 11

M Samuels Saha b Shami 1

J Blackwood c Rahane b Shami 0

R Chase c Kohli b Yadav 23

S Dowrich not out 57

J Holder c Saha b Yadav 36

C Brathwaite b Yadav 0

S Gabriel b Mishra 2

Extras (b 4, lb 2, w 2, nb 3) 11

Total (all out; 90.2 overs) 243

Fall of wickets: 1-30, 2-68, 3-90, 4-92, 5-92, 6-139, 7-144, 8-213, 9-213

Bowling 

I Sharma 20-7-44-0

U Yadav 18-8-41-4

M Shami 20-4-66-4

R Ashwin 17-5-43-0

A Mishra 15.2-4-43-2

West Indies 2nd innings

K Brathwaite lbw b Sharma 2

R Chandrika c Saha b Ashwin 31

D Bravo c Rahane b Yadav 10

M Samuels b Ashwin 50

J Blackwood c Kohli b Ashwin 0

R Chase c sub (KL Rahul) b Ashwin 8

S Dowrich lbw b Mishra 9

J Holder b Ashwin 16

C Brathwaite not out 51

D Bishoo c Pujara b Ashwin 45

S Gabriel b Ashwin 4

Extras (nb 5) 5

Total (all out; 78 overs) 231

Fall of wickets: 1-2, 2-21, 3-88, 4-92, 5-101, 6-106, 7-120, 8-132, 9-227

Bowling 

I Sharma 11-2-27-1

M Shami 10-3-26-0

U Yadav 13-4-34-1

R Ashwin 25-8-83-7

A Mishra 19-3-61-1