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'Kohli did the right thing in chasing the target in Adelaide'

December 14, 2014 17:17 IST

Virat Kohli during a training session. Photograph: Morne de Klerk/Getty Images

Lauding Virat Kohli for targetting a hard win rather than going for an easy draw, former Indian captain Mohammad Azharuddin said the stand-in
skipper did the right thing by giving the steep chase a real shot in the lost first Test against Australia in Adelaide. 

Kohli's gamble to go for a win, chasing a target of 364 runs on the fifth and final day did not pay off as India lost the match by 48 runs -- the last eight wickets falling for 73 runs. 

Azharuddin, however, was not too disappointed with India's batting performance and said it actually exposed Australia's bowling attack. 

"I think Kohli did the right thing in chasing the target. We were doing well, the batsmen were playing good cricket but we lost crucial wickets and it put us on the back foot. But I think it also exposed Australia's bowling attack," Azharuddin said while speaking at Agenda Aaj Tak 2014.

'Kohli and Dhoni will be the most important players for India during the World Cup'

Virat Kohli (left) with Mahendra Singh Dhoni. Photograph: Reuters

Azharuddin heaped praise on Kohli, who became only the second player in Indian Test history to score a century in both innings on his debut as captain today, and singled him out as the most important player for the team's campaign in the next year's World Cup. 

"I think Kohli and Mahendra Singh Dhoni will be the most important players for India during the World Cup.

"In ODIs, Dhoni is a very good player and he will get his confidence back once he starts playing a few matches. I rate Kohli and South Africa's AB de Villiers as my favourite player of the World Cup," he said. 

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