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We will keep fighting in this series: Virat Kohli

India skipper Virat Kohli is happy to have pulled his team back from a delicate situation against England with a stupendous hundred

By Unnikrishnan
Virat Kohli says he is happy to have helped India pull back against England on Day 2 of the first Test

Birmingham, August 3: After notching up a sensational 149 against England on the second day of the first Test, skipper Virat Kohli said India will keep on fighting in the series and termed his hundred a mere footnote in the surge of his team.

"I am happy and grateful that I was able to pull back the team and compete and that's we are here for. We are here to compete, fight and we are going to keep doing that," Kohli told the bcci.tv.

Kohli said his focus was not getting to the hundred but he emphasised more on helping the team comeback from a precarious situation.

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"I had prepared (for the England tour) the best way I can. It was about helping the team as much as I can. It was not about getting the three figure mark alone and it was also about continue from there. I was very disappointed when I got out because we could have taken 10-15 runs lead. But on the hindsight we could not have had a bowl at them. I am happy with my preparations and not worried about the world," said Kohli.

Kohli said it was a test of his physical and mental strength but said he enjoyed the challenge.

"It was difficult but I told myself to enjoy this and take it upon me as a challenge to take the team far and the innings deep. So, it was a test of my physical and mental strength. But I am happy that we came close to their total and we are very much in the game. It feels great when you can help the team that way," he said.

However, Kohli refrained from rating the 149 as his best Test hundred as he gave that spot to his second innings century against Australia in 2014.

"I am not too sure as this could come a very close second to the Adelaide (hundred of 2014). Adelaide still remains special to me because it was second innings and we were chasing and there was a total clarity that we were going for the target. That was a beautiful zone to be in," said Kohli.

Kohli also reserved a word of praise for tailend batsmen for sticking with him.

"I have to commend the tail as well. Hardik (Pandya) batted really well after we lost five wickets, the way Ishant (Sharma) and Umesh (Yadav) applied themselves.. It was an outstanding effort from so I have to give a lot of credit to them for getting us this close. They stuck in there and supported me really well and I felt confident about them which is very important," said Kohli.

Story first published: Friday, August 3, 2018, 13:39 [IST]
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