We are always learning: Virat Kohli outlines the things that went wrong in the defeat against England

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Team India faced a 227-run defeat to England in the first Test in Chennai. After the huge loss, India captain Virat Kohli said that lack of intensity and poor body language was one of the main reasons for their defeat. However, with this win, England have taken a lead of 1-0  in the four-match test series.

“Our body language and intensity was not up to the mark, second innings we were much better. We were better in the second half of the first innings with the bat, not the first four batters,” said Virat Kohli at the post-match presentation ceremony. “We have to understand the things that we have done decently in this game and the things that we haven’t and as a side we are always looking to improve. England were far more professional and consistent throughout the Test match than we were.”

Batting first, England have shared a fair share of successes as they posted a huge total of 578 in the first innings, courtesy captain Joe Root’s stunning knock of 218. Dominic Sibley and Ben Stokes have also contributed 87 and 82 runs respectively. In reply, India managed 337. However, in their second innings, Indian bowlers bowled England out for a below-par score of 178 on the back of the veteran off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin’s six-wicket haul for 61 runs. Meanwhile, chasing 420, India could manage 192 in 58.1 overs in the second session of the fifth and final day and lost at the end as well.

“I don’t think we put enough pressure on them with the ball in the first half. Collectively as a bowling unit, fast bowlers and Ashwin, were good in the first innings but we also needed to contain a few more runs and create pressure. Having said that, it was a slow wicket and not helping the bowlers which made it easy for the batsmen to rotate strike and get into the game. [It] just looked like not much happening in it on the first two days. But credit to England, they got stuck in and put up a big total on the board,” he further added.

However, the captain asked the top-four batsmen to contribute more in the upcoming games. He also opened up about the not-so-good performance from the young spinners Washington Sundar and Shahbaz Nadeem and he told that this was also one of the reasons why India couldn’t do well against England at home. He even asked his bowlers to step up as well.

“I think we did well in the second innings with the ball and put pressure on them. With the bat as well we left a few things to be desired and analysed as batsmen with the kind of decisions we took. We are always learning as a side and evolving as a side and Test cricket is tough,” Virat Kohli concluded.

However, with this loss, their place in the final of the World Test Championship has become uncertain. With New Zealand qualified already, it will be interesting which team will have the last laugh. Meanwhile, both the teams will take on each other in the second Test at the same venue, starting from Saturday.

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