"Showed grit, determination and resilience" - Virat Kohli lauds Team India for their series win over England
Team India batter Virat Kohli hailed the young side that clinched the Test series against England after being 0-1 down. The Men in Blue fought hard to etch a five-wicket win in Ranchi on Day 4 of the contest and claim an unassailable 3-1 lead in the five-match affair.
England were heavy favorites after posting a competitive total in the first innings and reducing India to 177/7 at one stage. However, a fighting knock by Dhruv Jurel meant that the visitors only had a marginal lead.
Even in the second innings, India showcased their fighting spirit, firstly to induce a collapse to bowl out England from 110/3 to 145 all out, and then with the bat as well to chase down the 192-run target.
Virat Kohli posted a tweet right after Team India wrapped up the proceedings in Ranchi, ensuring their 12-year streak of home series win remained intact.
"YES!!! Phenomenal series win by our young team. Showed grit, determination and resilience," Kohli wrote.
Dhruv Jurel was adjudged as player of the match for his crucial contributions across both innings of the Test match.
"I play according to the demands of the situation. The 1st innings, we needed to get runs as well, we knew we had to bat last and so any runs would be vital. I was involved in some partnerships, so credit does go to all those who stayed and added runs. I just saw the ball and then reacted to it, not thinking too far ahead," Dhruv Jurel said during the post-match presentation.
Team India will be looking to rake in more points in the World Test Championship (WTC) and wrap up the five-match series in style when they face England in the final Test in Dharamshala from March 7 onwards.
Virat Kohli missed the Test series against England due to personal reasons
Kohli was a glaring absence from the series, which has been quite a competitive and memorable affair. Kohli was named initially in the squad, and had even joined his teammates in Hyderabad ahead of the series opener. However, he withdrew from the squad the very same day, and did not partake in the series at all.
While there were a lot of speculations surrounding his prolonged absence, the talks were all quashed when the player announced the birth of his second child, Akaay.
Kohli is expected to return to the cricketing field for Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) during the 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL), slated to begin on March 22.