Things would have been different had myself and Vijay stayed on: Virat Kohli

ADELAIDE:India captain Virat Kohli was graceful in defeat admitting that Murali Vijay's dismissal might have just been the turning point in their 48-run defeat against Australia in the first cricket Test, here today.

Asked if Vijay's dismissal when he was batting 99 became the turning point, Kohli replied,"Could be. If me and Vijay added about 40 runs there, the game would have been different. You see one opening and the team capitalises, and that's what Australia did."
Kohli said that in hindsight his shot selection for the delivery that he got out could have been different.

"I was trying to hit it much more in front of square. But it was one of those mistakes I'll reflect back and say may be I could have done better and played a different shot. It was a great spell by Nathan Lyon and he bowled in right areas," the stand-in skipper, who scored 115 and 141 in the match, said.

Kohli said that he had backed to win the Test match and doesn't have any regrets.

"I told the guys last evening that whatever be the target, we will chase it. You have to play with passion and commitment if you have been chosen to play for your country," said the skipper.

He showed his humane side when he congratulated the Australian team for playing the Test match in the backdrop of the emotional turmoil that they have gone through post death of Phillip Hughes.

"I would like to congratulate the whole Australia team. Actually participating here after all that happened in the last 10 days is commendable. They are also a team that plays with passion and commitment," said Kohli.

Kohli was all praise for his boys and the "character" that they showed.

"It was a great game of cricket, proud of the boys, the kind of character they showed in tough situations it was a really good effort. Pretty pleased with the way we played, but Australia did better than us," said Kohli.
"He (Lyon) was troubling the batsmen throughout and it was a challenge to play him in the middle. Credit to him for stringing that win for Australia," said Kohli praising the man-of-the-match.


When asked if he felt the need for an off-spinner particularly R Ashwin, ahead of whom leg-spinner Karn Sharma made his debut, Kohli replied, "That was my personal decision. I felt Karn was bowling better in warm-up and practice sessions than other spinners. There are no regrets again. It was a plan that I thought should work. And he bowled pretty well for his first game. You have to give the guy credit. He had fielders up and challenged the Aussie batsmen to score off him."

It is expected that Mahendra Singh Dhoni, recovering from a hand injury, will be back for the second Test starting in Brisbane on December 17 which means Kohli will have to step back after only one match in-charge.

"I would be very happy that he is going to be fit and available for the second Test. But I would like to keep talking to the boys in the same manner as I did here. It doesn't matter if there's a (c) in front of my name. If I can chat to them when I am captain, there is no reason I cannot do that when I am not.

"I have enough respect and friendship in the team to go and speak to them, and keep them on the same page. It's my responsibility and something I will look to do even when I am not captain. That's what the team needs at this point," Kohli signed off.