Kolkata: Finally, the scores are settled. After three straight series defeats against England, India have managed to beat them hands down in the just-concluded Test series by a 4-0 rout.
While many praised the Indians for their effort, former India captain Sunil Gavaskar feels that this Indian team under Virat Kohli is the one which, “never gives up.”
Point to be noted, because, Kohli & his boys have broken Gavaskar and India’s feat of an unbeaten streak of 17 Tests (Between September 1985 and March 1987). The last time, India last lost in the five-day format was to Sri Lanka in Galle in 2015.
After India went past England by an innings and 75 runs, in the fifth and the final test in Chennai, Gavaskar told NDTV, “This is a new Indian team, one which does not give up. In Chennai, India had kept the England team on field for almost two full days.
“On the final day as England collapsed it seemed that they were tired. They have been on tour for almost three months now, first in Bangladesh and then India. When tired minds are at play, then chances of loss are more,” he said.
Gavaskar takes pride in the efforts of Ravindra Jadeja who grabbed seven wickets in the second innings putting England into all sorts of embarrassments. He also praised the efforts of Ravichandran Ashwin who complemented Jadeja.
“Both spinners complemented each other well. While one was not allowing the batsmen runs, the other took wickets. Though Ashwin did not pick a wicket in Chennai, he did not allow the batsmen too many runs. Ashwin had an important role to play in the win…Kohli played the perfect team man when he said, ‘After already clinching the series 3-0, to come out and perform like this, it is the evidence of the character in the side. It was evident the way we batted, bowled. We wanted the youngsters to step up, someone like Lokesh Rahul, then Karun Nair, they came in after two Test matches. They got us to a position where there was only one winner’,” the little master said.
Kohli, no doubt has led by example. Yet as Sports News Crunch pointed out, he has to be successful as a captain off-shores too. But when Gavaskar puts his money on him, it means, Indian cricket has a golden future, and under the leadership of Kohli, it will attain greater heights.