Whom did Kohli blame for the team’s loss in Perth?

Debasis Sen, Perth: Another poor show by Indian batsmen in the second innings of the second Test as they were all out on just 140 runs while chasing a total of 287 runs and the visitors lost the game. The four-match series is on balance with 1-1 now and the next stop is Melbourne now for the Men in Blue. After the loss in the second Test Virat Kohli blamed the batsmen as he feels that they failed to apply themselves in the second innings. Beside that he also hailed Australian team for their win.

“In the second innings, I thought we couldn’t apply ourselves as much as we should have. In the first innings, the commitment that you spoke about, we definitely showed it. I think we were committed and fully determined in our batting effort in the first innings, there was no shortage of that. But I will say that Australia played better cricket than us in this match and they played more consistently, that’s why then won the match,” said Kohli while talking to the media.

India failed to pick the right squad as they didn’t include any proper spinner in the playing XI whereas Australia’s star spinner Nathan Lyon picked a five-for in the second innings and three wickets in the first innings. He was adjudged Man of the Match for his remarkable performance. As per Kohli the team management felt that a fast bowler would be more productive in the second Test but if Ashwin was available he would get a chance in the playing XI.

“Yes, we could have considered that. If you see, the rough didn’t have much assistance. It was just the pace on the ball that Lyon bowled that he got the wickets that he got. We as a team didn’t want to think that we definitely wanted to consider a spinning option on this pitch, especially having a look at the pitch on day one and how we thought it would play on the first three days, and exactly played out that way. We thought a fast bowler is going to be more productive and more helpful for us as a team,” added Kohli.

Both the Indian openers have failed to play a big knock till now in the series. Despite of their poor show the India skipper is backing the duo of Murali Vijay and KL Rahul.

“You just have to keep backing them and keep telling them that they belong and they are good enough to perform for the … I mean, it is not even giving someone individual goals. It’s just telling them that this is what we require as a team from the opener and this is the role that needs to be fulfilled. I think as a batting group, we have spoken a lot about those things. Executing it or not is again a thing of variables in a sport where you are up against a guy who is bowling a ball at you at a time and then you can get out or you can survive or you can play a big innings or not. I am sure that these guys have figured out what has gone wrong in this game,” told Kohli.