Virat blames batsmen for Centurion defeat

South Africa trounced India by 135 runs after bundling the visitors for 151 on day 5 of the second test match in Centurion. The hosts now take 2-0 unassailable lead in the three-match Test series.

New Delhi: South Africa trounced India by 135 runs after bundling the visitors for 151 on day 5 of the second test match in Centurion. The hosts now take 2-0 unassailable lead in the three-match Test series.

Proteas had earlier emerged victorious by 72 runs in the series opener in Cape Town

With a win in Centurion, South Africa ended Team India’s nine-series winning streak. This is also Virat Kohli’s first Test series defeat after taking over the reins from MS Dhoni as the full-time captain of the Indian cricket team.

The visitors will have a lot of thinking to do before the final Test match in Johannesburg and skipper Virat Kohli believes it’s the batting department that needs to step up if they want to avoid a whitewash at the Wanderers.

"We failed to get a good partnership and take lead. We have let ourselves down. The bowlers have done the job but the batsmen have let the team down," Kohli said at the post-match presentation ceremony.”

We tried but we weren't good enough, especially in the fielding department. That's why they (South Africa) are the winner," he added.

Kohli played a captain’s knock as he scored magnificent 153-run knock in the first innings to take India close to South Africa’s first inning total but lack of support from other end forced India to concede 28-run lead.

"I want to leave everything on the field. That's the way I play. 150-odd runs (for himself) means nothing now that we have lost the series. If we had won, even a 30 would have mattered more. As a team, you want to win collectively." Said the 29-year-old.

The Indian skipper was at the receiving end after ignoring India's best overseas batsman Ajinkya Rahane and dropping Bhuvneshwar Kumar from the playing XI. 

After suffering a batting-collapse againstSouth Africa, it remains to be seen whether Kohli opts to bring back Rahane in an attempt to solidify his middle order in the last Test match which begins on January 24.