WI vs IND: Virat Kohli played a very good innings keeping in mind the conditions, says Deep Dasgupta

Former Indian wicket-keeper bat Deep Dasgupta feels Virat Kohli played a very good innings keeping in mind the conditions in the opening Test match against the West Indies at Windsor Park, Dominica. Kohli scored a fine knock of 76 runs off 182 balls in the first Test, which India won comprehensively by an innings and 141 runs to take a 1-0 lead in the two-match Test series.

The conditions were slow and low but Kohli kept his ego aside to score his runs. In fact, the talisman could only score five fours in his knock as he showed all the patience in challenging conditions.

The pitch was turning square but Kohli made the most of his experience at the top level. The former Indian skipper added 110 runs for the third wicket with debutant Yashasvi Jaiswal, who scored a fine knock of 171 runs.

“That innings from Virat, an innings of attrition – that’s the kind of pitch this was. It’s very difficult to get into a flow on a pitch like this. It will always look scratchy, no matter how well you are batting. For me, it was still a very good innings, keeping in mind the conditions and how tough it was to score runs. He hung in there and you could see the hunger to get a big innings going. But on a surface like this, you are never set as a batter,” said Dasgupta on ESPN Cricinfo.

Deep Dasgupta also hailed veteran spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, who picked up a total of 12 wickets in the match. Ashwin returned with figures of 5-60 in the first innings and then took 7-71 in the second dig to skittle West Indies for 150 and 130 in the two innings. The reputed commentator added Ashwin should be one of the first players to be on the team’s sheet.

“It’s unbelievable (12 wickets). Obviously, the conditions were very favorable for the spinners. Then again, this highlights how good Ravichandran Ashwin is and has been over the years and why he should be one of the first names up in the playing XI,” Dasgupta added.

The second Test match will be played from 20th July at the Queen’s Park Oval, Port of Spain, Trinidad.