This is probably my second best Test innings, says Virat Kohli after Mumbai win
It took Ravichandran Ashwin little time to clean up the tail, completing an innings win for India half an hour into the fifth morning. The home season has so far been outstanding for Team India, with back to back series wins against the Kiwis, and now England, beautifying their already impressive resume at home. Virat Kohli, who led from the front with his third double hundred of the year, spoke to the media after the victory lap in Mumbai.
On the Test series win
You don’t want to go to the last Test with the chance for the opposition to level the series. From that point of view, it was very important to wrap it here. Vijay was going great guns, I was enjoying batting with him, but then the collapse happened in the middle.
The lead was never in mind. We wanted to get to 400 as close as possible. Things shaped up nicely and we thought, maybe a 40-50 run lead would be great. We eventually got 231 (run lead) on them: that was a revelation for me that you can bat for longer periods. Because of the quality of the opposition and the kind of cricket we played, we are really proud of that. As captain, this is definitely at the top.
On India’s all-rounders
(In terms of) lower order contributions, we are number one in the last few months. That is something that we always lacked. Jayant’s hundred was outstanding. At one stage, even though I was on 140, he was outscoring me. It shows the belief that he has in his game. If you identify and get these players in the international circuit - you need to identify those who have it to succeed at the international level. It is not that you have to wait for them to play three good seasons of first class and get burned out by the time they reach international cricket. Jayant’s record: his runs and wickets in first-class cricket won’t shock or mesmerise you, but he knows his game perfectly well.
Same for the fast bowling all-rounders, we have included Hardik (Pandya) whom we think will be the key when we tour away as well. It is important to have the kind of balance that the other teams have had it for a long time. Ben Stokes and Moeen Ali have played the perfect all-rounder all over the world, it as good as playing twelve people on the field.
Rating this innings
I am still personally attached to the one in Adelaide (second innings). That was the beginning of our transition. This has been an ongoing process and I have only gained from the energy around in the change room and from the teammates. This is probably the second best. In my heart, I still rate the one in Adelaide higher than what I have scored elsewhere.
The decision to go with five bowlers
We have done that quite a bit. We give a feel to the batsman of that particular plan and see the confidence in them to execute what they want to, even with five bowlers in the team, then we go ahead with it. Especially with these guys contributing lower down the order, it is a no-brainer. You can easily play five bowlers if they continue to bat like this. The contributions have been magnificent - You saw in Mohali: over 200 runs were scored by the lower order. These are match winning contributions, not even match saving or match-levelling, but match winning. It deflates the opposition when the lower order scores, and it gives the captain an option to play five bowlers with total liberty.
On the future
We have been in winning positions more often than not. The ultimate aim has been to win games, not only Test matches - but series. That’s why we have won five in a row. Long may it continue, because we are going to play together for the next eight-ten years.