We didn’t deserve to win: Kohli
India suffered their first ODI series whitewash in 13 years after losing the final game to the Kiwis by five wickets
MT MA UN GA NU I, NEW ZEALAND: INDIA captain Virat Kohli on Tuesday berated his bowlers for their mediocre performance as he tried to explain the team’s first ODI series whitewash in over a decade, saying the visitors lacked composure all through.
The five-wicket defeat here meant India lost the series 0-3 to an injury-plagued New Zealand that had been deflated by a 0-5 whitewash of its own in the T20 format just last week.
It was India’s first whitewash since they lost 0-4 to hosts South Africa in 2006. (One game was washed out in that series.) It was the first in 31 years in a series where all matches were played.
“The games were not as bad as the scoreline suggests. It boils down to those chances we didn’t grab. I don’t think it was enough to win games in international cricket,” Kohli said at the postmatch presentation.
“With the ball, we were not able to make breakthroughs, we were not at all good on the field. We haven’t played so badly but when you don’t grab those chances, you don’t deserve to win.
“Batsmen coming back from tough situations was a positive sign for us, but the way we fielded and bowled, the composure wasn’t enough to win games,” he said.
NO PENETRATION
The ineffectiveness of the Indian bowlers can be gauged from pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah finishing the series without a wicket. The bowling attack couldn’t dismiss the rival line-up even once.
Kohli lauded New Zealand for bouncing back after the T20 hammering.
“New Zealand played with lot more intensity. We didn’t deserve to win because we did not show enough composure,” he said.
The batting mainstay is looking forward to the Test series, which begins on February 21, to make amends for the disappointment.
“I think because of the Test Championship, every match has that more importance. We have a really balanced Test team and we feel we can win the series here, but we need to step on to the park with the right kind of mindset,” he said.
His opposite number Kane Williamson, who missed the first two games due to injury, was lavish in his praise for the home team’s grit.
“An outstanding performance, very clinical. India put us under pressure, but the way the guys fought back with the ball and kept them to a par total. The cricket in the second half was outstanding to see,” he said, referring to the side’s effortless chase of a 297-run target.
“We know how good they (India) are in all formats but for us the clarity about the roles the guys had was the most important thing. Outstanding effort against a brilliant India side,” he added.
Player of the Match Henry Nicholls, who scored 80 on Tuesday, said his team benefitted from good batting starts.
“To come back and win 3-0 after the debacle in the T20 series is nice. The way (Martin) Guptill played today allowed us to get ahead. We got a 100-run stand, but we were fortunate enough to get good starts this series,” he said.
The seasoned Ross Taylor was named Man-of-the-series.