Sports News
153 means nothing right now… we lost the match, series: Virat Kohli
Virat Kohli scored a brilliant 153 in the first innings but the skipper said it meant nothing because the team lost the match and the series.
Twice in the series, India were chasing a target and had their chance to register a win. Twice in the series, the batting unit let the team down and they staged a meek surrender. Set a 287-run target in the second Test in Centurion, India failed to put up a fight and were bundled out for just 151. Apart from Rohit Sharma, who top scored with 47, all batsmen struggled. At the post-match presser, Virat Kohli said the team should have capitalised in the first innings where South Africa lost wickets in quick succession.
“Yeah (the wicket gave us our best chance). We thought the wicket was really flat. Quite surprising. I told the guys the wicket looks different to what it looked before toss. I thought it was our chance to put some runs on the board. Especially after SA lost wickets in the first innings, we should have capitalised,” said Kohli.
India bowled out South Africa for 335 in the first innings but it was batting which let the team down again in the series. Except Virat Kohli, no batsman stayed out for long and the team failed to stitch partnerships.
“We failed to get a good partnership and take the lead. We have let ourselves down from the first game into the second. The bowlers have done the job but the batsmen have let the team down again and that’s why we stand here,” said Kohli.
Kohli scored a brilliant 153 in the first innings but the skipper said it meant nothing because the team lost the match and the series.
“I want to leave everything on the field, for my country, for my team. That’s the way I play. 150 (153) means nothing right now that we have lost the series. If we had won, even a 50 or a 30 would have mattered more to me. Having not won the game, personal milestones don’t matter to me. As a team, you want to win collectively. We tried but we weren’t good enough. South Africa were better than us, especially in the fielding department, and that’s why they are the winners. And they deserve to be,” said Kohli.
