It was another black day on what is proving to be a disastrous Australian tour, but Indian batsman Virat Kohli said Friday his embattled team were just a good side out of luck.
It was another black day on what is proving to be a disastrous Australian tour, but Indian batsman Virat Kohli said Friday his embattled team were just a good side out of luck.
After being thrashed by 122 runs in Melbourne and then an innings and 68 runs in Sydney in the opening two Tests, it seemed things could not get any worse for the tourists.
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However, the first day in the third Perth Test Friday saw the Indians plummet to new lows as they were routed for just 161.
They were then powerless to prevent rampant David Warner from belting a 69-ball century as the home side finished the opening day just 12 runs in arrears with all 10 wickets in hand.
Kohli topscored for India with 44 and combined for a 68-run fifth wicket stand with V.V.S. Laxman that temporarily revived the tourists' hopes.
He said his dismissal to break up that partnership was the pivotal point of the day for India.
Although Warner said he felt the Indians were already mentally "gone", Kohli said they were just having an extended run of bad luck.
"We had a big partnership and then lost two wickets just before tea," he said.
"Sometimes it doesn't go your way and sometimes it does.
"Luck is a very important thing in cricket, but unfortunately it hasn't been going our way in important phases.
"We have lost wicket before breaks, after breaks, just before lunch, just before tea, we have lost important wickets at important times," said Kohli.
"That is all that has been happening, it is not a matter of temperament or technique, things just haven't been going our way."
Six-Test veteran Kohli said it wasn't even the worst day of his short Test career, let alone his entire time playing cricket.
"It is just one day, there are still four days left of Test match cricket.
"I don't rate it as the worst day of Test match cricket I have experienced," he said.
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