Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

'Proud' Kohli reserves special praise for bowlers after brilliant Australia win

Superstar captain Virat Kohli on Monday (7) called winning a series in Australia his proudest ever moment, capping a 12-month journey for his India team of hard graft, fixing mistakes and comradeship.

Their 2-1 triumph achieved what no other Indian side has managed since they started touring to Australia in 1947-48, with the foundations for success laid not in the first Test at Adelaide, but on their tour of South Africa last year.


It was there, and the subsequent tour of England, that he and coach Ravi Shastri identified the attacking brand of cricket that they wanted to play, all in preparation for Australia.

"We wanted to experiment with combinations and find out what suits the team best and take it forward from there," said coach Ravi Shastri.

"So we learned a heck of a lot in South Africa, we learned a lot in England. We made mistakes, which we didn't make in this series. We learned from those mistakes.

India lost 2-1 in Tests to South Africa in January last year, and were then outplayed in England 4-1.

"So the most satisfying part of it (winning in Australia) was it was a team working towards this goal over the last 12 months," said Shastri.

That journey has led to India boasting one of the most fearsome bowling attacks in the world, with the breakthroughs of speedster Jasprit Bumrah and spinner Kuldeep Yadav.

While India's batting in Australia was a class above, anchored by Kohli and Cheteshwar Pujara, it was the consistency of the bowling that made the difference, with no Australian batsmen scoring a century.

"The way the bowlers have dictated and dominated, not here but also in England and South Africa, it's something I haven't seen before," said Kohli.

"Hats off to them, the way they've prepared, their fitness levels, and their mindset."

So important was the win that Kohli, the best batsmen in the world in all three formats, placed it above being part of the Indian team that won the 2011 World Cup.

"It's obviously a very proud moment. More so because for the last 12 months we understand what we have gone through as a team, we understand the kind of cricket we have been able to play," he said.

"The fact that the reward has come in the most historic series for Indian cricket is the cherry on top of the cake."

- 'Stepping stone' -

And while accolades will inevitably fall on Kohli, he has consistently stressed through the series that it can never be about one person.

"It was a team effort through and through and that's what we strive for. We strive to play well as a team," he said.

"Single innings and single spells don't win games of Test cricket. We play to make the team win."

India was already the number one team in the world before the series began, with the win only shoring up their formidable reputation.

Kohli is passionate about Test cricket and said he wanted youngsters to look at what the team had achieved, and they way they have done it, for inspiration to keep the red ball game in focus as limited-overs formats gain ever more traction.

"I see this series as a stepping stone for this team to inspire the next lot of Test cricketers. To be passionate for Test cricket firstly," he said.

"When Indian cricket respects Test cricket we know the fans are going to come in and watch Test cricket.

"We definitely want to build on this and always promote the message of Test cricket being the most important and the most valued format of the game which it rightfully is."

More For You

IPL 2025: RCB vs GT – Bengaluru Braces for High-Voltage Battle

Out of the 5 encounters between the two teams, RCB has won 3, while GT has secured 2 victories so far

Getty

IPL 2025 - RCB vs GT: Bengaluru prepares for a high-voltage encounter

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 is set to heat up as Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) takes on Gujarat Titans (GT) in the 14th match of the season at M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on April 2nd. This exciting encounter brings together two teams in top form, with both having a win and a loss under their belt. However, RCB, with their unbeaten record so far in the tournament, enters the contest with more confidence.

RCB’s form and strength

RCB has been nothing short of dominant in their first two matches of the season. They have put on stellar performances, especially with their commanding victories over Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Chennai Super Kings (CSK). In their last match against KKR, RCB chased down a target of 175 runs with ease, reaching the target in just 16.2 overs with seven wickets to spare. Their victory over CSK was even more impressive, as they handed the three-time champions their biggest home defeat in terms of runs. With two wins and a positive net run rate of +2.266, RCB’s well-balanced squad, including Virat Kohli, Rajat Patidar, and Josh Hazlewood, is primed for another thrilling victory.

Keep ReadingShow less
Anurag Bajpayee's Gradiant: The water company tackling a global crisis

Anurag Bajpayee's Gradiant: The water company tackling a global crisis

Rana Maqsood

In a world increasingly defined by scarcity, one resource is emerging as the most quietly decisive factor in the future of industry, sustainability, and even geopolitics: water. Yet, while the headlines are dominated by energy transition and climate pledges, few companies working behind the scenes on water issues have attracted much public attention. One of them is Gradiant, a Boston-based firm that has, over the past decade, grown into a key player in the underappreciated but critical sector of industrial water treatment.

A Company Born from MIT, and from Urgency

Founded in 2013 by Anurag Bajpayee and Prakash Govindan, two researchers with strong ties to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Gradiant began as a scrappy start-up with a deceptively simple premise: make water work harder. At a time when discussions about climate change were centred almost exclusively on carbon emissions and renewable energy, the trio saw water scarcity looming in the background.

Keep ReadingShow less
Mythili Prakash's all-female show 'She's Auspicious' humanises the goddess

Mythili Prakash in 'She's Auspicious'

Mythili Prakash's all-female show 'She's Auspicious' humanises the goddess

Shiveena Haque

ACCLAIMED American Bharatanatyam exponent Mythili Prakash recently took centre stage with the UK premiere of her show at the newly opened Sadler’s Wells East theatre in Stratford, London.

Any new venue drums up a world of excitement and almost feels like going on a first date, and this was no different. The freshness of everything was immediately impactful in this suitably lit venue. New carpet, modern fixtures, a Great Gatsby-inspired ambience, and the smell of unforgettable art in the air. There was also a dash of loving memories thrown in.

Keep ReadingShow less
Saif Ali Khan’s ‘Jewel Thief: The Heist Begins’ Poster Unveiled

Saif Ali Khan, Jaideep Ahlawat, and the ensemble cast shine in the poster of Jewel Thief: The Heist

Instagram/netflix_in

Saif Ali Khan’s latest Netflix film ‘Jewel Thief: The Heist Begins’ drops an intriguing new poster

Netflix released a new poster for Jewel Thief: The Heist Begins, and it’s already got fans talking. The image shows Saif Ali Khan with a sharp, focused gaze, his eye cleverly framed by the silhouette of a diamond, hinting at the high-stakes heist at the heart of the film.

Slated for release on April 25, the movie follows a skilled thief hired by a crime boss to steal the legendary African Red Sun diamond. But as expected, things don’t go as planned. The teaser, dropped earlier this year, showed us a tense partnership between Saif and Jaideep Ahlawat, with twists, betrayals, and plenty of action in store.

Keep ReadingShow less