When an Amit Mishra googly trapped Nuwan Pradeep in front, a significant milestone had been completed for Virat Kohli's young and ambitious Test team. It was the Delhi lad's first series victory as captain.
Despite the well-documented frailties of the Sri Lankan side in transition, it was a momentous feat. Remember, when India won a Test series in Sri Lanka prior to this, Kapil Dev was still leading the bowling attack while Sachin Tendulkar had just turned 20 and skipper Mohammad Azharuddin looked set to prolong his affinity for turning tracks.
As is often said, the taste of triumph could only be truly felt when the tougher times had been endured. Rarely had Indian teams shown the propensity to bounce back from a demoralizing loss in the opening match of an away series.
After bowling the hosts for a paltry score in the first innings, centuries from Kohli and Shikhar Dhawan propelled them towards a dominant position. At 95/5, only the final rites appeared to remain. But, Sri Lanka’s bond with Galle was as resplendent as the fort adjoining the stadium – time-tested and unshakeable.
Although quite a few umpiring decisions went in his favor, Dinesh Chandimal produced one of the best knocks in recent times to turn the match on its head.
With the wily Rangana Herath lurking amidst the shadows, the prospect of a fourth-innings chase had its fair share of discomfort. However, the target of 176 was by no means unachievable until the old master whipped up another one of his famous concoctions to pull the rug under India’s feet.
Eager to avoid batting last, Kohli chose to bat in the second Test at P Sara Oval and rookie KL Rahul showed the way with a classy effort. When a strong top-order display led their reply, the Lankans were settling in nicely before Ishant Sharma finally got his act together with the field placements also suggesting that the shoulders had not dropped yet.
Buoyed by the handy lead, the visitors never looked back and batted their opponents out of the game. Kohli’s go-to-bowler, Ravichandran Ashwin sealed the deal to get in the way of Kumar Sangakkara’s emotional farewell.
With all to play for, the caravan moved to the Sinhalese Cricket Club in Colombo. Delighted upon winning the toss, Angelo Mathews inserted them on a surprisingly seam-friendly surface. Returning to the eleven, Cheteshwar Pujara stamped his quality by producing an innings which showed exactly what he brought to the table – grit and persistence.
Ishant helped retain the advantage by spearheading the new-ball attack with a laudable spell. Despite losing a cluster of early wickets, the batsmen kept coming and managed to set a daunting target.
However, it was not done yet as Mathews counter punched in the company of a motivated Kusal Perera to raise hopes of a thrilling finale. But, Kohli’s troops were up for the scrap and did not let the situation get the better of them by prising out the breakthrough to secure the series by a 2-1 margin.
For a change, the bowlers seem to be trusted
One of the biggest takeaways from the series triumph was the confidence shown by Kohli in his bowling unit. Unlike his predecessor, he did not shy away from keeping enough fielders at catching positions even when things were not going for them.
In particular, a renewed sense of purpose added to the energy within the group and those much-maligned bowlers repaid his faith by giving their best during pivotal moments. Ashwin, in particular, sought to be more positive in his approach despite being confronted with different situations.
The results continued to reiterate the belief with India pummeling a ripe South African 3-0 at home. Kohli’s desperation for victories was evident when a sluggish Delhi pitch tested his resilience even though the series was already sealed.
When they embarked on a Caribbean sojourn, there were some question marks regarding their ability to dominate even admittedly weaker opposition outside Asia. But, the ensuing 2-0 triumph which came amidst thunderstorms saw them step into unchartered territory as no previous Indian side had won more than one Test in a series in West Indies.
What the future holds for Kohli and his men?
Even though there are plenty of optimistic signals emanating from the team, a constantly alternating batting lineup could work against them when sterner tests arrive on the horizon.
Almost always, Indian sides are judged by the way in which they perform in places such as England, Australia, South Africa and New Zealand. In that regard, having a settled and well-oiled top five needs to be among head coach Anil Kumble’s immediate priorities.
While a horses-for-courses approach may appear to be bearing fruit temporarily, the likes of Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan are actually walking on thin ice at the highest level.
While Kohli has more pace options than former Indian skippers, the lack of a viable seam bowling all-rounder might also hinder their progress as a balanced outfit. However, with Ashwin starting to show some signs of replicating his form outside the subcontinent too, the playing eleven can be adjusted in such a way that the five-bowler theory does not compromise the batting department.
For the man himself, time has come to kick on and demonstrate his immense batting prowess in Tests as well. With a whopping 13 matches scheduled in the upcoming home season, the platform is set for both Kohli to lead from the front regularly and his team to convey that they have what it takes to become a formidable unit.
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