After losing the first Test in Chennai, Team India bounced back brilliantly to clinch the four-match series 3-1.
With an innings and 25-run victory in the fourth and final Test, the hosts on Saturday (March 6) also secured a place in the World Test Championship final and skipper Virat Kohli was mighty pleased with the comeback.
“The comeback in Chennai pleased me the most. The first game was an aberration and England outplayed us. The toss played a crucial role and the bowlers weren’t in the context. We bowled and fielded with more intensity and so the comeback was very heartening,” quoted Kohli at the post-match presentation ceremony.
The captain further said India’s bench strength is ‘extremely strong’ and this is a ‘good sign’ for Indian cricket.
“Our bench strength is extremely strong and that’s a good sign for Indian cricket. When the transition happens, the standards won’t fall and Rishabh and Washy’s partnership showed exactly that in a crucial juncture of the match. We had to pick up our body language after the first game in Chennai. Every team in international cricket is a quality side and we need to work hard to beat them, even at home,” he added.
According to Kohli, Rohit Sharma’s glorious century (161) in the first innings of the second Test at Chepauk was the defining moment of this series for the hosts.
“Keeping that intensity going is most important and is the hallmark of our team. Rohit’s knock was the defining moment in Chennai, and Ashwin has been our most bankable player over the years so they have beenour best players this series. Now we can accept that the WTC final, which was a distraction in New Zealand in 2020, but now it’s a reality,” he remarked.
