We expected rain on Day 3 or 4, but it came on last day: Virat Kohli

By
Babita Sarkar
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Nottingham: India skipper Virat Kohli expressed his disappointment after the first Test against England ended in a draw on Sunday as rain played spoilsport on Day 5 at Trent Bridge. With 157 more runs to win and nine wickets in hand, India were in a drivers’ seat to take a 1-0 lead in the five-match series.

“It’s a shame. We were expecting rain on days three and four, but it chose to come on Day five. It would have been enjoyable to play and watch, but it’s a shame. This is exactly what we wanted to do. We wanted to start strong. On Day Five, we knew we had our chances,” said Kohli during the post-match presentation.

“Heading to day five, we had our chances right in front of us. One good partnership and then you know what happens when there’s only 150 on the board to defend. We certainly felt like we are on top of the game and it’s a shame we couldn’t complete day five.

“We bowled well enough and batted well enough to stay in the contest and then getting that lead was crucial which kept us on top throughout the game,” he added. India were 52/1 at the end of Day 4.

Despite the draw, one of the most impressive things for India in the game was the exceptional display from the lower-order batters as they helped India gain a massive advantage in the first innings.

Kohli stated that it was the hard work of three weeks that finally showed up in the game. “To get to 50 overnight is a big positive for us. It wasn’t about survival; it was about getting the boundaries where the opportunity presented itself. Our intent is what kept us ahead in the game.

“It’s hard work of three odd weeks for our bowlers with the bat. We were talking of a lead of 40-odd but we ended up with 95 and those runs were gold dust. Most likely this will be our template in this series, but adaptability has been our strength.” he added.

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