Jo’burg win should not be a moment of vindication for Virat Kohli, but one of introspection

After watching Virat Kohli on the cricket field for almost a decade, it can be safely said that he wouldn’t make a good poker player. Commentators and pundits have often said that to judge where India are in any given game, one should look at Kohli’s expression, as he seldom hides how he feels.

And so, after the win at Wanderers, Virat Kohli’s celebrations revealed a lot. There was obviously elation and joy, but also vindication. His statements after the match also hinted strongly at this.

“So, we had to show character in this game, and step up not for anyone else but for the belief of the team. When no one is believing in you, no one’s backing you, it’s very important to back yourselves as individuals. So we never really cared about what people are saying about us. We knew that if we play well together as a team, we can win here, and we felt we were close in the first two games also but didn’t close off games well, and sessions well,” Kohli said.

Actually analysing the Wanderers Test reveals that the win was not vindication for Kohli’s policies, but concrete evidence that he was wrong on many counts. This becomes clear when you compare this win with the only other major overseas Test win this Indian team has seen in recent years - Lord’s, 2014.

The pitch at Lord’s, just like the one at Wanderers, was tailored for the home team’s bowling attack. On the first day of the Lord’s Test, the only thing distinguishing the pitch from the outfield were the six stumps. India were put in to bat and were expected to be bowled out for under 200, but that wasn’t to be.

On a green top, Cheteshwar Pujara realised that it was imperative to see off England’s primary fast-bowling duo - James Anderson and Stuart Broad. He did just that, spending close to three hours at the crease, not showing much “intent” to score, but rather steely resolve to not give his wicket away. He faced 117 deliveries for only 28 runs, holding up one end till the ball was over 40 overs old. By the time he got out, England had already lost serious ground on a surface designed for Anderson and Broad to run through batting line-ups.

At the other end, Ajinkya Rahane had already gotten off to a good start. Well aware that it was a pitch on which any ball could have his name on it, he decided to take calculated risks and get quick runs for his team. Not only did he get up on the Lord’s honour board, Rahane’s 103 off 154 balls resolutely put India in the driver’s seat in the context of the game, taking them to 295 on a pitch where 200 would’ve been above par.

Another major contributor with the bat in the match was Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who gave Rahane company in the first innings, facing 84 deliveries and scoring 33. In the second innings too, Kumar scored a quickfire half century to get India to a truly commanding position. When England came out to bat in the first innings, Kumar took six wickets, two of which were Alastair Cook and Ian Bell - England’s two most experienced batsmen.

Of course, there were other architects of the Lord’s victory. Murali Vijay also gutsed it out for 67 deliveries in the first innings and scored a vital 95 in the second. Ravindra Jadeja made a decisive 68 in the second innings, and Ishant Sharma bowled the fiery spell that won India the match and himself the man of the match award.

The last two contributions may seem like they’re more crucial because of the aggressive way in which Jadeja batted and Ishant bowled, but Test cricket, especially away from home, doesn’t work like limited-overs cricket, where a couple of shows of individual brilliance win you a match. It took six players out of 11 to craft a Test win against an English team that was arguably at its lowest point in years, just having lost a home series against Sri Lanka.

At Wanderers, the three players mentioned above - Pujara, Rahane, and Bhuvneshwar - played key roles once again. Pujara understood the importance of standing his ground in the first innings, batting over four hours for a 50. Bhuvneshwar took three top-order wickets in the first innings, including that of AB de Villiers, who could potentially have changed the game. He also scored 63 runs in the match. Rahane, who wasn’t considered good enough to play the first two Tests, and hadn’t played any cricket for a month and a half, recognised the need to get quick runs in the second innings and got a priceless 48.

These three players, whose place in the Test team has been in question at one point or the other during Kohli’s captaincy, carved out yet another overseas win by doing what they do best. Pujara batted like Rahul Dravid’s true successor. Rahane read the game brilliantly and had the skill and technique to follow through and do what needed to be done. Bhuvneshwar gave his team key wickets by being consistent, and also proved that he is the pace-bowling all-rounder the team has been looking for.

The win at Wanderers deserves to be celebrated. Kohli deserves to be proud of his team and his own batting efforts. However, this win should not be a moment of vindication for Virat Kohli, but one of introspection.