Partnership between pacers and spinners key for us: Kohli

Hyderabad, Feb 13: India captain Virat Kohli has credited the partnership between his spinners and pacers for being able to conjure up wickets on a track that did not have anything to offer on the fifth day of the one-off Test match here against Bangladesh.

India won by 208 runs at the Rajiv Gandhi Intertiol Stadium here to stretch their winning run in the home season that has seen them win six consecutive series since the first against Sri Lanka in 2015.

“If you have two world class spinners in your side, you can tell your pacers to attack, and that’s something that has really worked for us, the partnership between spinners and fast bowlers. They feed off each other. This game was again a revelation for Umesh (Yadav), Bhuvi bowled wonderfully with the old ball as well. Ishant has always been a very good old ball bowler as well,” Kohli said at the post-match presentation ceremony here on Monday.

On the pitch which coach Anil Kumble said he thought would open up on the fourth and fifth days but did not, Kohli said it was the skill of his bowlers that helped them pick up wickets and that has been a secret of India’s success in the last couple of years.

“It didn’t offer much to be honest. The bowlers found ways to get batsmen out and that’s been the quality of our team in the past couple of years. We have found ways to win games and this was no different,” Kohli said.

“Ishant’s spell in the second innings was outstanding coming and bowling with a soft ball getting a bit of reverse and bowling with pace was really good to see,” he added.

Kohli admitted that he thought the England tour would be their litmus test but 4-0 whitewash in that has placed a lot more expectations on them going into the upcoming Australia series.

“I thought England was the biggest series for us. But having won that 4-0, I think there are lot of expectations from us. We would like to continue the cricket we are playing and consolidate our place in the next series. All our minds and hearts are already on that series,” Kohli said

The way Kohli batted in 2016 and has continued the purple patch was unexpected, one of world’s best batsman said.

“It’s been coming off nicely. Last year was something that I didn’t expect to happen that way but it did. All I have thought is take every game as a fresh game. Be positive, believe in my skills and back my game. But not get ahead of myself. I think that’s a very hard balance to maintain and that’s something that I have been able to do,” he said. IANS