We had belief to get them out in 60 overs, tension in the field helped us: Virat Kohli on Lord’s Test win

KEY STORY

• A win for the ages’, that is how India’s 151-run victory over England at the iconic Lord’s stadium is being described.

• The India cricket team had to dig deep in order to carve out a favourable result, even indulge in verbal duels with their counterparts. Skipper Virat Kohli, reflecting on the memorable triumph after the match, admitted that the tension in the field helped his side’s cause.

• A draw and India’s defeat looked like the two possible results after the dismissals of Ajinkya Rahane, Cheteshwar Pujara and Rishabh Pant but a huge surprise was in store. Mohammed Shami and Jasprit Bumrah registered an inspiring partnership of 89* runs for the 9th wicket to put India in the driving seat, with the former even scoring the second half-century of his career in Tests.

• At the post-match presentation ceremony, Kohli was full of praise for Bumrah and Shami, calling their contribution ‘outstanding’.

• “Super proud of the whole team. The way we stuck to our plans after being put in. The pitch didn’t offer much in the first three days. First day was the most challenging. The way we played in the second innings after being put under pressure – Jasprit and Shami were outstanding,” said the India captain.

• India were involved in plenty of verbal duels with the Englishmen. The hosts’ did their bit to get into the heads of the Indian batters in the second innings and themselves faced a similar challenge when India’s turn came to bowl.

• It isn’t a secret anymore that Virat Kohli thrives when sledged and this Indian team also seems to have been prepared the same way. The India captain admitted that the verbal battles in the middle of the pitch fired them to give their all, which indeed worked in their favour.

• “The tension in the field in our second innings, what happened there, helped us,” he asserted.

• Kohli couldn’t stop hailing the likes of Bumrah and Shami both of whom have reportedly worked hard in the nets with the batting coach to add new dimensions to their gameplay.

CONCLUSION

• “Putting their hand up was something we were really proud of and we wanted to let them know (ovation for Bumrah-Shami). Batting coach has worked really hard with the boys. When we were No.1 we were getting runs from the lower-order. Then we shied away from it. But now they (lower-order) have the desire in them to get the runs and do well for the team. We know how priceless those runs are,” he said.

• India are 1-0 up in the series with three more matches to go. With the Lord’s Test win, the visitors have momentum in their favour. It’s all about not taking their foot off the gas now and go for the kill in the next match at Headingley.