Skipper Kohli slams India batsmen for no application
Calls the Pune outing one of India’s worst batting performance but says that loss is a part of the game
PUNE: India skipper Virat Kohli blamed the Indian batting line-up for the crushing defeat against Australia in the first Test, dubbing it as their worst performance. Australia’s stunning 333-run victory inside three days was almost entirely due to India’s inept batting in both innings, dismissed for 105 and 107. The Indian batsmen’s capitulation against left-arm spinner Steve O’Keefe was particularly shocking. Kohli was blunt in his assessment on Saturday after the batsmen failed to put up a fight even in the second innings.
POOR APPLICATION
“If you don’t apply yourself, any bowling attack can look dangerous. And I certainly would like to think that that was the case with our batting line-up in this game,” the India skipper told the media after the match ended with more than two days to spare.
“It rarely happens that fourfive batsmen make errors in judgement in both the innings, especially with the way we batted in the last few months. I would say this was our worst batting performance and we need to accept that. Our batting wasn’t up to standard and that’s certainly how we shouldn’t bat from here onwards.”
Kohli, who was out on duck in the first innings, was clean bowled for 13 by O’Keefe shouldering arms to a delivery which held its line in the second innings. It proved disastrous. “It was a judgement error from my side. I left the ball too early. I should have waited a little more. You can’t say which ball is going to turn, or which isn’t. You’ve got to play the line and I certainly didn’t do that. It was my fault.” It was Kohli’s lowest aggregate in a match at home in which he had batted in both the innings. The captain, however, played down the impact of the loss, saying the result won’t affect the team’s morale. “I wouldn’t think too much about this Test. If after 18 or 19 Tests, we play one bad game, you have to accept that it’s a part of international cricket,” Kohli said.