Virat Kohli
The Indian team had to pick up its body language after the first game in Chennai, said skipper Virat Kohli after his side thrashed England by an innings and 25 runs in the fourth Test to seal the series 3-1 and qualify for the World Test Championship (WTC) final. India will now face New Zealand in the summit clash at Lord's, scheduled to be played from June 18 to 22, with June 23 as the reserve day.
After Rishabh Pant had tilted the scales in favour of the hosts with a century, Washington Sundar scored unbeaten 96 to put India in the driver's seat. Ashwin and Axar Patel rubbed it further by picking five wickets each on the Motera track, ensuring India a comprehensive victory.
"The comeback in Chennai pleased me the most. The first game was an aberration and England outplayed us. The toss played a crucial role and the bowlers weren't in the contest. We bowled and fielded with more intensity and so the comeback was very heartening. Our bench strength is extremely strong and that's a good sign for Indian cricket," said Kohli after India's win.
"When the transition happens, the standards won't fall and Rishabh and Washy's partnership showed exactly that in a crucial juncture of the match. We had to pick up our body language after the first game in Chennai. Every team in international cricket is a quality side and we need to work hard to beat them, even at home. Keeping that intensity going is most important and is the hallmark of our team," he further said.
Kohli further said that Rohit Sharma's ton in Chennai was a defining one and hailed Ashwin as India's 'most bankable player' over the years.
"Rohit's knock was the defining moment in Chennai, and Ashwin has been our most bankable player over the years so they have been our best players this series. Now we can accept that the WTC final, which was a distraction in New Zealand in 2020, but now it's a reality," concluded Kohli.
