Perth: After India secured a comprehensive 295-run victory over Australia to take a 1-0 series lead in the five-match Border-Gavaskar Trophy series, skipper Jasprit Bumrah said he was proud of how the team bounced back to win the game after being put under pressure.
Bumrah, the chief architect of India’s famous triumph in Perth, picked eight wickets to single-handedly blow away Australia. It includes the match-changing spell of 5-30, as the visitors’ got a vital 46-run lead after being bowled out for 150 on day one and taking three more in the second innings to hand India a monumental overseas Test win, also their third-biggest Test win away from home.
“Very happy. We were put under pressure in the first innings. But the way we came back, I am very proud. We were really well prepared. I was just telling everyone to have faith in their process and ability because over here, we have an opportunity to do something special. On a given day, experience does matter, but if you have faith in your ability you can do something special,” said Bumrah, who got his first Test win as captain after the match ended.
He also paid credit to Yashasvi Jaiswal, whose brilliant 161 helped set up India’s victory, as well as to Virat Kohli, who hit an unbeaten hundred. “We can’t ask for anything else, (from) Jaiswal. That was probably his best innings so far, because he left the ball well. He’s an attacking player but he batted long.”
“I didn’t see Virat out of form – difficult to judge that on difficult pitches. But he was good in the nets. We always enjoy the support from the crowd, when the backing is there we feel good.”
Australia captain Pat Cummins said it was disappointing for him and his team to suffer a crushing defeat from India. “Fairly disappointing. We thought our prep leading in was very good. One of those games where not much went right.”
He also said the 10-day delay between the first and second Test, a pink-ball affair starting on December 6 in Adelaide, ‘is what it is’. “You always want to get back on the horse pretty quickly, but we’ll have a couple of days rest.”
“We didn’t really give ourselves a chance in a couple of different facets. There’s a few different areas we need to clean up. There’s a lot of experience there. I think they’re going about their work pretty well.”
(IANS)
