India captain Virat Kohli was delighted about India’s first ever series-opening Test victory in Australia after his side pipped the hosts by 31 runs despite facing tough resistance from the lower order.
What made the victory sweeter was that India had come out on the wrong side of the result of another close match at the same venue during the 2014 tour. So this triumph not only put India in the lead of the four-match series, but also settled those scores.
“Four years back it was 48 runs but the other side, and this one is way better,” said Kohli. “[Thirty-one] runs but on the other side of the result. Obviously, it’s a great feeling. We’ve never taken the lead in a series in Australia, so it’s something for us that is a huge, huge boost. It’s given us the right momentum that we needed to play in big series like this … and something that we’re looking forward to build on.”
“Technically and temperamentally, they are both solid Test players. And they’ve done it before as well where they have batted together – incidentally in Bengaluru against Australia, when in the second innings we needed a big partnership and these two stepped up.
“Pujara was outstanding. He was the difference between the two teams for sure, but the way Ajinkya batted, so positive, so fearless, that’s his game. Taking their bowlers on, not being intimidated, he has confidence in his own space, which I think is the most important thing for him. If he can continue to bat like that in every Test match, he certainly can take away the game from the opposition.”
