Ravichandran Ashwin was amongst the wickets; Ravindra Jadeja gave him company, and the batsmen time and again put up telling performances to put the team in a position of advantage. If the Ashwin-Jadeja duo cast a spell in the first Test in Kanpur, it was Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Mohammed Shami swinging things in India’s favour in the second Test at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata. Not to forget crucial knocks from Virat Virat, Wriddhiman Saha and Rohit Sharma on a testing pitch. The final Test at Indore saw a commanding performance from everyone including vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara who got to their centuries to finish the Test on a batting high. Virat was all praise for the entire team who had owned up to the situation and put up their best foot forward.
“It is a team sport, and it is played like a team sport. Those who write, praise or criticise, performances stand out only for them,” Virat said. “In the team we know, for example, if a fast bowler runs in hard for four overs and gets only two wickets, that means a lot in a Test match. For me the most important points in this series were Jadeja’s batting in the first Test, Saha’s batting and Shami’s spell in the second Test. They matter a lot to the team. Obviously you feel good about big individual contributions, but we focus more on little contributions, because the big ones will be talked of anyway.”
What impressed Virat more was the manner in which the team had done the job under testing conditions. “We knew before the series that people are going to start talking about pitches. We knew that there are monsoons everywhere; wickets are not going to be as dry. Especially in Kolkata, we knew that it wouldn't be dry; it was a newly laid wicket. We didn't say anything once. We believe in our abilities, we should be good enough to do it on any surface and against any team. That is a step in the right direction as far as our team is concerned. We believe in our skill much more, and not focus on creating atmosphere or conditions which might suit us partially. We just wanted to express ourselves the way we can on a cricket field. We finished two games in four days on perfectly fine Test cricket pitches and that gives us a lot of confidence.
“Honestly New Zealand played really good cricket. To be three-nil down in the series, it is just that we pressed them hard every time we got an opportunity. Every time we were put under pressure, we have bounced back really well. They have put us under pressure but I think we have been better in the series to come back from those situations and totally block that door for them every time they tried to sneak in.”
While Virat has reiterated the fact that individual performances don’t matter, his form himself was questioned time and again when it came to getting big scores at home. His 45 at the Eden Gardens on a difficult pitch was a treat to watch, something that showed a lot of character. He followed it up with a polished double ton in Indore. What followed was a restrained celebration and smile of satisfaction.
“Everybody is determined and focused to perform for the team whenever he goes out to bat. I have scored hundreds in the past but not big ones,” he said. “I have always been disappointed with myself that I don’t convert them. Maybe I get satisfied at reaching a milestone. I convince myself now to not think of milestones. The crowds will be excited, the team-mates will appreciate it, but you should reinforce that mindset to convert it into a big one. So I tried to react just enough to let everybody know I appreciate their support, but not react as if I have achieved all I wanted to achieve. I wanted to go long. You have to come with that focus into every innings, that if you are set you have to play long.”
What followed the bat raise was a gesture of an imaginary side-arm towards the dressing room, a token of thanks perhaps. “I thanked Sanjay Bangar, our batting coach. He always keeps assuring you that you are playing well, stay in that zone. It helps a lot. Sometimes you are in a position when you are thinking about too many things, but there should be someone who talks to you, shares your load, shares your thoughts. On a regular basis he does that. That’s why I thanked him. A lot of people ignore how much work the support staff puts in behind the scenes.”
