Virat Kohli Praises Young Team for “Magnificent Milestone”

“No Indian team has won a Test series coming back from being 0-1 down. We have created a bit of history,” Kohli said.

India’s captain Virat Kohli, foreground, holds a stump as he leads his team off the pitch after defeating Sri Lanka in their third test. (Photo: AP)

A delighted Indian Test captain Virat Kohli termed his team’s 2-1 series win as a “magnificent milestone” after they beat Sri Lanka in the third test at Colombo and became a “part of history”.

It’s a magnificent milestone for a young team winning here after 22 years. I am told that no Indian team has won a Test series coming back from being 0-1 down. So we have created a bit of history.
– Virat Kohli, Indian Test captain

(Photo: AP)

Kohli termed the brilliant dressing room environment being one of the primary reasons for this success.

Even players like Bhuvi (Bhuvneshwar Kumar) and Varun Aaron who did not play the last two Test matches were helping us out. Harbhajan Singh, who is such a senior player was also helping from outside. It was a collective effort. Everyone was raring to go and it’s a victory on which our Test careers will be built.
– Virat Kohli, Indian Test captain

Cheteshwar Pujara scored 145* in India’s first innings. (Photo: AP)

Man of the match Cheteshwar Pujara came in for special praise from the skipper after coming in with a spate of injuries plaguing the team.

Injuries are always something that frustrates the team. But the attitude has been brilliant. Pujara came in after someone was injured and he saw it as an opportunity and not difficulty. That is why we are playing the kind of cricket we are playing.
– Virat Kohli, Indian Test captain

It was a very good opportunity for me, we were 1-1 and we won the series now. Facing the new ball was challenging, it was an opportunity as well. My preparation was good, and my experience in International cricket has helped.
– Cheteshwar Pujara

Sri Lanka’s Dhammika Prasad is hit by a delivery from Ishant Sharma on the third day of the Colombo Test. (Photo: AP)

Sri Lankan skipper Angelo Mathews conceded that poor batting let his team down despite being 1-0 up after the first test of the series.

Our batting flopped again. The bowlers were outstanding. And then after giving them a 100-run lead, we did not bat well. We could have kept them under 300 in the first innings. The bowlers bowled pretty well, but India batted well. Our first innings batting was crucial, we needed to get close to 300.
– Angelo Mathews