It was a complete performance: Virat Kohli

TIL Desk Sports/ India skipper Virat Kohli termed his team’s win over the West Indies in the first Test a “complete performance” and reserved special praise for Mohammed Shami, who marked his return to the five-day format after a long injury layoff with four first-innings wickets. India stamped their authority as Ravichandran Ashwin returned impressive figures of 7/83 to bowl out the West Indies for 231 and notch up a record innings and 92-run win here today.

“Wow, I didn’t know that,” Kohli said when told that this was India’s biggest win outside Asia, before adding, “Just feels good to get a win on the board, always good to start well. Good prep time, for three weeks. Everyone was excited, we’d enough practice. It was a complete performance.” Kohli emphasised on the need to score runs quickly to aim for a win. “Scoring wasn’t easy, initially West Indies bowled well.

A couple of their bowlers rushed us, 70-odd for 2 with five batsmen, had to take responsibility. Shikhar was playing really well and I wanted to be positive, if you want to win a Test you have to score quickly and get the bowlers a chance to bowl the opposition out twice.