Kohli’s focus on ‘larger picture’ despite hundred heroics

BIRMINGHAM, Uni t ed Kingdom: India captain Virat Kohli set his sights on team success rather than personal glory after his hundred in the first Test against England was overshadowed by the tourists’ 31run defeat.

Kohli’s magni f icent 149 in India’s fi rst innings at Edgbaston was his maiden Test century in England.

The 29- year- old, one of the outstanding batsmen of his generation, had managed just 134 runs in 10 innings during five Tests on his maiden tour of England four years ago.

Not only did he top that total in one knock in Birmingham, he ended the first of this season’s fiveTest series with exactly 200 runs to his credit after making 51 in the second innings.

But India, set 194 to win, were bowled out for 162 on Saturday’s fourth day.

They resumed on their overnight 110 for five, with Kohli 43 not out and India’s hopes of victory resting on the shoulders of their star batsman.

But India’s bid for what would have been just their seventh win in 58 Tests in England suffered a hammer blow when Kohli was lbw to Ben Stokes, especially as the allrounder had Mohammed Shami caught behind for a duck three balls later to leave the tourists on the brink of defeat at 141 for eight.

Kohli downplayed his feelings about his 22nd century in 67 matches at this level by telling BBC Radio’s Test Match Special: “It was just like any hundred I score. Back in the day I used to think about playing in different conditions, different countries, but when you become captain it’s about taking your team across the line.”