India captain Virat Kohli: England deserved to win but were not better prepared than us
Virat Kohli feels England had the better of conditions in Chennai but says tourists fully deserved to win the first Test; India captain disappointed by his side's application with the bat but sticks up for vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane after pair of low scores
Tuesday 9 February 2021 15:16, UK
India captain Virat Kohli insists England's 227-run win over his side in the first Test was not as a result of the tourists having better preparation.
England had won two Tests on turning tracks in Sri Lanka prior to the series opener in Chennai, while India had returned from playing on different sorts of surfaces during a 2-1 win in Australia.
Kohli says Joe Root's men played better cricket and deserved their victory, which inflicted defeat on India in a home Test for the first time since 2017, when Australia won by 333 runs in Pune.
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India have not lost a Test series at home since 2012 when an England side led by Sir Alastair Cook triumphed 2-1, with the hosts currently on a run of 12 consecutive series wins on home soil.
Kohli told reporters: "England played better cricket than us and deserved to win. You could say they are well prepared but to say they are better prepared than us in our own conditions is not an accurate assessment.
"I feel that when the ball was really turning and bouncing in the second innings, both sides were similar in terms of how they went about things.
"With that challenge in future games, maybe you can analyse then whether we are better prepared or they are better prepared."
Asked whether England pose the biggest threat India have faced during their proud unbeaten run in home Test series, Kohli added: "That was said when Australia won the first Test (in 2017).
"We don't jump the gun, we don't come to conclusions too early as a side. The focus for us is the next Test match and bouncing back.
"What is said on the outside, what is perceived, what is being discussed, doesn't bother us at all. We have never really focused on that and won't do that moving forward."
Kohli was left to rue India being bowled out for 337 in their first innings in reply to England's 578 all out, in which opposition captain Root scored 218 from 377 balls after winning the toss and electing to bat.
The India skipper was disappointed with his side's batting effort but did feel England had the better of conditions.
He said: "The Test probably shifted in their favour when we batted in the first innings. I don't think there was enough application shown by us, which is something we take a lot of pride in.
"The pitch was very flat and slow over the first two days - it is not an excuse but it is the reality of the situation. Day three, after tea, is when the wicket really started to change.
"When you get big runs on the board, even when it is flat, the opposition is invariably under pressure. The quality of the ball is not something we were pleased to see either. It seems to be completely destroyed in 60 overs.
"[However], we are not a side that hides our faults or gives excuses. We accept defeat, we accept the things that have gone wrong.
"We continuously strike to improve them, come back stronger and put in the performances that we should be putting in on the field.
"We need to be focussed a lot more and understand Test victories are earned in all conditions, whether they are your own or playing away from home. Nothing is given in Test cricket."
Kohli was also left visibly irritated when asked whether he was worried about the form of vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane, who made scores of one and nought in Chennai.
Rahane captained India to their recent series win in Australia while Kohli was on paternity leave and scored a century in the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne to help India draw level at 1-1.
"Look, if you're trying to dig something out, you're not going to get anything because there's nothing," Kohli said during the virtual press conference.
"Ajinkya, along with [Cheteshwar] Pujara, as I have said many times in the past, is our most important Test batsman and he is going to continue to be.
"We believe in his abilities, we have for a long time now. He is an impact player. He stood up in the MCG Test when the team wanted it most. There are absolutely no issues."
Follow over-by-over text commentary from day one of the second Test between India and England in Chennai on skysports.com and the Sky Sports app from 3.25am on Saturday.
