Virat Kohli great in South Africa but other Indian batsmen deserve credit as well, says Ravi Ashwin

Ajit Vijaykumar 18:53 17/02/2018
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  • Indian batting seems to be all about Virat Kohli nowadays, with the skipper hitting his fourth century of the tour of South Africa. The Indian captain finished with more than 800 runs in the three Tests and six ODIs that included 153 in a losing cause in the Centurion Test and a hard-fought 54 in the Johannesburg Test which India won, plus three tons in 50-over cricket.

    No other batsman, or South African for that matter, came even close to Kohli’s tally, forcing some to compare the current India batting to that of the 1990s where Sachin Tendulkar carried the bulk of the batting on his shoulders. However, India off-spinner Ravi Ashwin says that’s not the case, stating that while other batsmen have contributed, the size of Kohli’s innings is making their efforts look less significant.

    “If you see in the South Africa series, there were some amazing contributions from other batsmen which have gone unnoticed because of the sheer magnitude of Virat Kohli’s runs,” Ashwin told Sport360 on Saturday at the GenNext Kings’ Cricket Academy in King’s School, Al Barsha.

    “Kohli made 50 on a tough wicket at Wanderers and 150 in Centurion. But Murali Vijay in Centurion, where he made 40 odd, and in the second innings at Wanderers where he just blunted the new ball… Cheteshwar Pujara’s 50 in a big seaming pitch (in Jo’burg). These are all digs people don’t notice because people understand Test cricket very poorly these days. The magnitude of those innings need to be applauded. Because without Pujara and Vijay blunting the new ball, it will be very difficult for lower order to score.”

    India lost the Test series in South Africa 2-1 before romping to a 5-1 win in the ODI series. Ashwin said his team could have been on the victorious side in the Test as well if they had played better cricket at the start of the series. India dropped multiple chances in the second Test in Centurion and gave away three top-order wickets to run-outs to lose the series.

  • Centurion Virat Kohli breaks more records as India thump South Africa 5-1 in ODI series

  • “We did very well in South Africa. We managed to tick off a Test win. Should have probably won the series if we were a bit lucky or played better cricket at the start of the series,” the 31-year-old said.

    “Going into every series, we will have to work very hard. There will be matches we will lose, especially when we travel abroad. How well we come back from the losses, how well we play throughout the entire duration of the four or five Tests will decide how much we are going to be successful.”

    Ashwin himself didn’t do too badly, picking up seven wickets and hitting a couple of 30s in the first two Tests against South Africa. For the Tamil Nadu spinner, it was a job well done.

    “South Africa series was very good quality. I had a good series. Probably would have liked to convert a few batting stints into bigger knocks. In challenging conditions for batsmen, I batted very well. Bowled even better. Struck some crucial blows throughout the series. Would have been nice to have a five-for. I was very close (in Centurion) but we dropped a few catches, but that is part of the game.”

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