Jasprit Bumrah said 'give me the ball': Virat Kohli after Oval win
After India's spectacular victory at The Oval on Monday, an ecstatic Virat Kohli said that Jasprit Bumrah wanted to bowl in the second session of the final day when the ball was reverse swinging. The India captain lauded the pacer's efforts, which played a key role in turning the match India's way.
Chasing 368, England resumed the final day on 77 for no loss before reaching 131 for two at lunch. In conditions not conducive to fast bowling, Jasprit Bumrah produced a fiery spell after lunch, cleaning up Ollie Pope and Jonny Bairstow with inswinging deliveries. England were eventually bowled out for 210 as India went up 2-1 in the five-match series.
Speaking at the post-match presentation, Kohli said:
"As soon as the ball started reversing, Bumrah said 'give me the ball'... He bowled that spell, and swung the game in our favor with those two huge wickets. Giving 27 runs off 22 overs on this kind of pitch is a huge effort."
With his two tickets in England's second innings, Jasprit Bumrah became the quickest Indian pacer to take 100 wickets. He achieved the feat in his 24th Test, taking a game less than the great Kapil Dev.
Virat Kohli also became the first Indian captain after Kapil Dev to register two wins in a series in England. In 1986, India won two Tests and the series. Calling it one of the best bowling performances under him and hailing the character of his side, Virat Kohli said:
"The character that the side has shown, to come back from a 100-run deficit showed that we were not down and out. I said at Lord's as well; I am proud of the character, among the top three bowling performances I have witnessed as India captain."
Kohli said:
"It's relative to what you call flat; the field wasn't wet like in the first three days. The ball got scuffed up nicely, one side heavier, and (we) exploited reverse swing perfectly. We believed as a team that we could get all ten wickets."
Shardul Thakur's efforts in the Test stood out: Virat Kohli
Virat Kohli made special mention of Shardul Thakur's lower-order batting that helped India recover from precarious situations in both innings.
Shardul Thakur's two fifties and three wickets in the Test were key to India's win. In the first innings, he walked out to bat at 117/6, and belted a 36-ball 57 to help India to 191.
He then got the wicket of a well-set Ollie Pope for 81. Thakur contributed with a 60 in the second innings, helping India extend their lead. He returned to dismiss half-centurion Rory Burns and then got the all-important wicket of Joe Root to turn the game India's way.
The India captain said:
"Rohit's innings was fantastic. What Shardul has done in this game will be remembered for a long time. His fifty was the difference between a 150-160 run lead and a 100-run lead. His two fifties deflated the opposition."
"His counterattack in the second innings made a lot of difference. We thought they would restrict us to a reasonable total when I got out, but he changed it," added Virat Kohli.
With a 2-1 lead, Kohli's men have ensured that for the first time since 2007, India won't lose a Test series in England. A draw or win in Manchester will give India their fourth series win in England and their first in the country in more than a decade.