From 'Us' to 'You' - Thank you, Virat Kohli!

Updated - 07 Jan 2019, 07:28 PM

Image Courtesy: Getty

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India has trounced Australia in Australia in Tests for the first time in history. The recent triumph further rubbed salt into Australian wounds. Meanwhile, it is no small achievement; given no other Indian captain managed to win Test series Down Under in over half a century. To be precise, it took 71 years for an India National Cricket Team to achieve the feat on the Australian soil. Virat Kohli, the captain at the helm, deserves credit for his captaincy; for the way he had pushed his teammates to go for the win; also for investing his trust in his mates to get the job done.

In short, Kohli is a lucky charm for Team India.

Beating Australia in their home was a distant dream:

Yes, it was a distant dream. Though a few captains had come close on winning a Test series in Australia, not any of them could really pull the trigger. In the recent history, only Sourav Ganguly’s team India could draw a four-match series (1-1) in 2003/04; else it was a one-sided show when MS Dhoni led the side on two tours, 2011/12 and 2014/15.

In between, it was Anil Kumble’s Indian team in 2007/08 tour, which ended Australia’s 16- match winning streak in Tests with a win at the WACA. Although India finished second, the way they had won the third Test in Perth, after what unfolded in the previous game in Sydney; it was one come back. However, since then, India didn’t win a single Test in Australia, as they first got whitewashed in 2011/12 tour; and later, lost the Border-Gavaskar trophy (0-2) in 2014/15.

Australia vs India — Under Anil Kumble, India won the famous Perth Test in 2008. Image Courtesy: Getty

Kohli injects aggression; urges teammates to win:

Virat Kohli, perhaps the best batsman of the current generation, has some accolades to show off in his brief captaincy career. Meanwhile, the India National Cricket Team skipper has won a Test series in the Caribbean, twice in Sri Lanka and one in Australia. Though he has had a productive home season in 2016/17, a series win Down Under would always top the chart.

Even during the presser, post the SCG Test on Monday, both Virat and coach Ravi Shastri acknowledged the series win. Shastri also mentioned that this victory is bigger than the 1983 World Cup one in England; (though I am not sure how people would take this). Anyway, Virat has led his country to heights, both morally and on the ICC Rankings chart as well.

Virat Kohli, Australia vs India 2018/19 — Virat and Ravi Shastri acknowledge team India’s series win in Australia. Image Courtesy: Getty

Also, what keeps the India captain ahead of the others, is his urge to win. The way he injects the aggression into his teammates and pushes them to their limits is all but incredible. Though a few of his on-field antics have been questionable, his belief in himself and his team about crossing the winning line have got results, eventually.

India walked over Australia, completely:

Maybe in years to come, Virat could pen-down a book on ‘How to win overseas Tests’. The most recently-concluded Test series is the prime example of it. Yes, Australia didn’t have Steven Smith and David Warner in their ranks; nor did their middle order showed up even once in the four-Test match array, the Indians shouldn’t get robbed of the efforts they have put in to win the series.

From Jasprit Bumrah to Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat’s go-to-men have been in the news for all good reasons. Though Rishabh Pant sneaked in with some banters with Tim Paine, also not to forget his second Test ton; Virat should feel fortunate to have such bunch of players. Pujara, on the one hand, was the marathon man in the series, scored 521 runs, at an average above 70, including three centuries. Bumrah, on the other, picked 21 wickets, including his maiden six-for at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).

Australia vs India 2018/19, Cheteshwar Pujara — Pujara scored 521 runs in the Test series against Australia. Image Courtesy: Getty

Considering such efforts on the turfs, which majority of the Australians termed as flats, is some accolade to feel proud of.

Meanwhile, a few of the stalwarts of the game naming England’s Michael Vaughan and Harbhajan Singh hit back at the critics, saying had the pitches been flat, the hosts would have scored more than 326, at least once in eight innings.

Bruises and tactics:

You’ve got to take some on your body to get going. Even the great Sir Donald Bradman suffered injuries. However, more than getting hit on the body, the India captain had hit Australia with some tactical changes. Remember the wicket of Marnus Labuschagne in the first innings? Well, a few more change in plots helped upgrade his captaincy.