Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], Jan 19 : After clinching the series 2-1 against Australia, India skipper Virat Kohli on Sunday said “it was a calculated partnership with Rohit Sharma” which laid the foundation of the side’s seven-wicket win in the third ODI at M Chinnaswamy Stadium here.
After the departure of opener KL Rahul (19), Kohli and Rohil built a 137-run partnership for the second wicket.
“It was a calculated partnership with Rohit. Today I have to play second fiddle because Rohit was settled in and he knew the pace of the wicket. We had three good partnerships back-to-back. It just put things in our favour,” Kohli, who scored 89 runs, told reporters in the post-match conference.
This was the first time in the series that India chased the score otherwise in both the previous matches they were asked to bat first after losing the toss.
Commenting on the same Kohli said: “A little different from what we have done in the past. I think experience guys have to step up in games like these and that’s where experience counts. It does come in handy in conditions like these. So, we knew that the plan Australia would have is to get one of us out early and put us under pressure.”
The 31-year-old skipper heaped praise to the world number one ODI pacer Jasprit Bumrah who did not get any wicket in the game today. He bowled ten over and just gave 38 runs with an economy of 3.80.
“You can always focus on the guys that get wickets. So we understand the kind of impact he has made in the last two games. He was the most disappointed and hurt after the first game as we did not get any wicket at all and did not put them under pressure. He took it upon himself to stand-up as the number one bowler to do the job for the team,” Kohli said.
“He has contributed massively to these wins, it might not be displayed on the scoreboard like who got wickets but his contribution is very crucial,” he added.
India will next take on New Zealand in five-T20I, three ODIs, and two Tests. The first T20I will be played at Eden Park in Auckland on January 24.
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