Kohli on Rohit’s 20th ODI century: Kohli was wax lyrical about Rohit Sharma as the duo stitched a record partnership against Windies.
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During the first match of the ongoing Windies’ tour of India at Guwahati, India defeated Windies by 8 wickets. In a 323-run chase, India weren’t expected to win in the way that they did.
The thrashing manner in which the duo of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli stitched a 246-run partnership for the second wicket will go down as the highlight of the innings. In which was their world-record fifth partnership of 200+ runs in ODIs, it proved yet again as to how both of them compliment each other.
Kohli had earlier won the toss and chose to field. On the back of Shimron Hetmyer’s third ODI century, 106 (78), with the help of six fours and six sixes, Windies scored 322-8 in 50 overs. With bowling figures of 10-0-41-3, Yuzvendra Chahal was the pick of the Indian bowlers.
Individual centuries from Sharma (152*) and Kohli (140) saw India cruising in the chase as they sealed it in the 43rd over. During the post-match presentation, Kohli said that a convincing win always makes him feel pretty good.
“Feels pretty good. A convincing win. I thought West Indies were really good with the bat. And 320+ totals are always tricky. But we knew it’s all about one partnership,” Kohli was quoted.
Speaking on batting alongside Sharma, Kohli said that life isn’t ‘difficult’ when Sharma is at the other end. “Life isn’t difficult when Rohit is at the other end. Happens very rarely when Rohit plays second fiddle.
Among the top three, I’ve preferred the anchor role, but today I felt good and I communicated with Rohit that he should play the anchor role. And when I got out, he took over and Rayudu played the anchor. And I’ve always enjoyed batting with him. It’s our fifth [sixth] double-hundred partnership,” Kohli said of batting with Sharma.
One thing which is consistent with Kohli is his hunger to make India win every time he comes out to bat. After watching him bat, one realizes that he seldom takes an opposition lightly.
There is no hiding to the fact that the Indian bowlers were expected to restrict the opposition under 300 runs. On being asked about the performance of his bowlers, Kohli said that he won’t blame his bowlers as the wicket was such.
“When a side like West Indies bat like that, it’s hard to contain them. Wickets did come, but they were going hard at us. So won’t blame the bowlers too much, you saw the pitch was good, we chased it down in 42 overs,” he added.
Read some of the recent Twitter reactions on India’s comprehensive victory below:
