25 February,2020 07:32 AM IST | Wellington | Vimal Kumar
India skipper Virat Kohli walks off the field after losing the first Test against NZ on the fourth day at the Basin Reserve in Wellington. Pic/AFP
India lost only their second Test match in 14 months after receiving a thrashing from New Zealand in the opening match of the two-match Test series here at Basin Reserve on Monday.
Since their defeat to Australia in Perth in December 2018, India played nine Tests, winning eight and drawing one. Their last four Tests ended in innings victories. But on Monday, India were at the receiving end as the Kiwis thrashed Virat Kohli's men by 10 wickets to go one-up in the series.
Starting the fourth day on 144 for four, India were all out for 191 in 81 overs in their second innings. This was a shade better from their dismal 165 in the first innings, which eventually proved to be decisive. Trent Boult (4-39 in 22 overs) and man of the match Tim Southee (5-61 in 21 overs) were the pick of the bowlers.
The required target of nine runs was knocked off by New Zealand without much ado for their 100th Test win.
While Kohli accepted they were "outplayed", the Indian skipper said they "can't help" if a few want to make a "big deal" out of the 10-wicket defeat.
"We know we haven't played well but if people want to make a big deal out of it, make a mountain out of it, we can't help it as we don't think like that," the skipper said at the post-match media interaction.
Kohli said he fails to comprehend why one Test match defeat should be made to look like the end of the world for his team. "For some people, it might be the end of the world but it's not. For us, it's a game of cricket that we lost and we move on and keep our heads high," Kohli said.
India started off disastrously by losing overnight batsman Ajinkya Rahane (29) on the eighth ball of the morning. Seven balls later, his partner Hanuma Vihari departed for 15. With R Ashwin getting out, India lost three wickets inside 40 balls. Rishabh Pant with 25 tried to delay the inevitable.
"This is a game where we didn't show enough competitiveness. In the past, we have played good cricket even when we have lost, and we have been in the game. But I think we let ourselves down massively with the bat in the first innings," said Kohli.
In the first innings where they were bowled out for just 165, India lost their last six wickets for just 43 runs. In the second dig, only 33 runs were scored from their last five batsmen.
"To be honest, they did not give us any room either on the front foot or the back foot. So, we have to accept that they outplayed us in this game and they bowled much better than we did," admitted Kohli.
Brief scores
India 165 & 191 (M Agarwal 58, A Rahane 29, R Pant 25; T Southee 5-61, T Boult 4-39) loss to New Zealand 348 & 9-0 by 10 wickets
With inputs from PTI
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