India lost the Test series 2-1 to South Africa despite winning the opening game.
The visitors won the opening Test in Centurion to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series, but they lost the next two Tests in Johannesburg and Cape Town to concede the series 2-1.
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Apart from the batters' flop show, Kohli pointed out inconsistency, lack of application, lapse in concentration and their inability to seize the crunch moments as reasons for the team's loss.
"The batting has to be looked into, no running away from that. Having collapses every now and then not a good thing," he said at the post-match presentation ceremony after India’s seven-wicket defeat in the third Test at Newlands.
In the series-decider, India managed 223 and 198 across the two innings. While Kohli top scored in the first innings with 79, wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant waged a lone battle in the second essay with 100 not out.
"No excuses there. It's really disappointing for sure. We know how far we've come as a team. That people expect us to beat South Africa in South Africa is testimony to how far we've come. We haven't done it, that's the reality, accept it and come back as better cricketers."
Kohli though praised the home team for turning things around after being outplayed in the series opener.
"We had a great first game but South Africa did amazingly well. In both Tests they won, they were clinical with the ball in crunch moments. Lapse of concentration cost us key moments and they seized those moments; South Africa were absolutely deserving winners in the end."
"As I said, one of the challenges we've faced touring abroad is make sure capitalising on momentum, when we've done that we've won Tests away from home. When we haven't, they've cost us quite bad."
Speaking about the areas that require immediate attention and where they lost out to the Proteas, Kohli said, "Have had a few collapses that have cost us important moments and Test matches. It's batting; can't pin-point any other aspect.
"People talk about pace and bounce, considering their heights, they were able to get much more off the wickets in all three Tests. They applied pressure long enough for us to make mistakes. It's the understanding of conditions for them which they know very well."
(With PTI inputs)