Captain Virat Kohli called it the perfect game after India cruised to a 317-run win over England and levelled the four-Test series 1-1 here on Tuesday.
“Our application with the bat was outstanding. The conditions were challenging for both sides, but we showed more application with the bat,” Kohli told the host broadcaster after the match.
“We didn't panic out there looking at the turn and bounce; we showed grit, got into the game and scored 600 runs in the game. We know our bowlers are going to do the job for us if we put up these runs in home conditions.”
Toss not a factor
Kohli also felt the toss did not play as much of a vital role as it did in the first game.
“The toss wouldn't have mattered much in this game, because if you looked at our second innings, we still applied ourselves and got [close to] 300 as well. It wasn't unfair if the toss went either way. Both teams should be in the game from the first session onwards, whether it is on spinning or seaming tracks, and that exactly was the case in this game.”
After being bowled by Moeen Ali for a duck while trying to drive through the covers, Kohli did not play the cover-drive in the second innings, where he made a vital 62, until he was well-set.
“I take a lot of pride in improving myself and correcting my mistakes quickly. If I make an error, I make sure I iron it out in the very next innings. I knew I could trust my defence and easily bat four sessions on this pitch,” said the 32-year-old.
