Indian skipper Jasprit Bumrah was all praise for former captain Virat Kohli and rising batting star Yashaswi Jaiswal, after both of them Virat Kohli and Yashaswi Jaiswal scored centuries in India’s second innings at Perth and played an important role in guiding the team home to a historic win at the Optus Stadium on November 25 (Monday).
Jasprit Bumrah was also all praise for Virat Kohli for his unbeaten 100, saying he had never looked “out of form” despite having endured a run of low scores heading into the series.
Virat Kohli gets back to form with his 30th test century in Optus Stadium, Perth
India’s star pacer Jasprit Bumrah reserved big praise on Virat Kohli after he smashed a brilliant hundred in the second innings of the Perth Test and as a result, the visitors won the game by 295 runs. Virat Kohli gave a tight reply to all his critics after he made a 143-ball 100 in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
Post making just five runs in the first innings, he made a terrific comeback and scored a century. Young batter Yashaswi Jaiswal also smashed 161 runs while KL Rahul made 77 and forged a 201-run partnership. Virat Kohli, who got out for a duck in the first innings, was in terrible form leading up to this series, averaging 15.50 in six innings at home against New Zealand.
Virat Kohli, who scored his 30th Test ton, first after July 2023 and first in 16 innings, also had fantastic stands with Yashaswi Jaiswal, Washington Sundar and Nitish Reddy to bat Australia out of the contest. While Virat Kohli scored only unbeaten 100, he added a total of 212 runs along with five different partners to take India to 487/6 and setting Aussies an almost impossible target of 534 to achieve.
Jasprit Bumrah hails ace batter Virat Kohli after 1st BGT 2024-25 Test win
Team India’s stand-in skipper Jasprit Bumrah praised ace batter Virat Kohli for his sensational second innings century in the first Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 Test against Australia in Perth. Kohli entered the series under immense pressure after a sub-par home Test series against New Zealand, averaging under 16 in three games.
However, as has been the case throughout his illustrious career, the 36-year-old saved his best for Australia. After scoring only five in the first innings, Virat Kohli responded to his critics in style with an unbeaten 143-ball 100 to help India set Australia a massive 534 for victory.
The hosts folded for a mere 238 in reply as India took a 1-0 series lead with a thumping 295-run win. Speaking at the post-match press conference on Kohli, Bumrah said:
“I have said this before that Virat Kohli doesn’t need us, it is we who need Virat Kohli. He is an experienced player, his 4th or 5th tour, so he knows best what his batting and calibre is like. Sometimes when you have a career this long and you play in so many tough scenarios that he has played in, performing in every match becomes a bit difficult. But he was always looking in great space in this match.”
The century was Kohli’s first in international cricket this year and a seventh in Tests down under.
If at the start of the series, a player like him gets some confidence, you cannot ask for anything more – Jasprit Bumrah
Jasprit Bumrah feels Virat Kohli starting the Australia series on an emphatic note augurs well for himself and India for the rest of the tour. It was also Virat Kohli’s 81st international century and No.30 in the red-ball format.
“Obviously he got a great delivery in the first innings, but he was still in great space and he capitalized in the second innings. The second innings we needed an experienced batter who plays good himself and also allows the other batter to play freely. If at the start of the series a player like him gets some confidence, you cannot ask for anything more,” said Bumrah.
Virat Kohli, who was India’s first-ever Test series-winning captain in Australia in 2018-19, is part of the fifth Test series down under in his career. Meanwhile, the two teams will be on a 10-day break before the second Test in Adelaide, starting December 6.
With the series now in motion, India is preparing for the second Test against Australia, set to begin on December 6 in Adelaide. Bumrah emphasized the importance of carrying forward the lessons from the Perth match while starting afresh.
“We need to carry forward the learnings as well to Adelaide,” he said.
India’s strong performance in Perth not only showcased their depth in leadership but also underscored the significance of experienced players like Virat Kohli stepping up under pressure. The upcoming test at Adelaide promises another intense chapter in this high stake series.