LONDON: Virat Kohli has warned England that his India side are only going to get better after they wrapped up victory in the third Test at Trent Bridge.
The tourists took just 10 minutes to claim the one wicket they needed to win by 203 runs and cut the host’s lead in the five-match series to 2-1.
And having seen all three parts of their game come together — batting, bowling and fielding — the captain cut a confident figure with two matches remaining.
“When both skills come together with slip catching, you win Test matches and I’m really happy to see everyone taking the responsibility at the right time. Couldn’t have come at a better time for us,” Kohli said.
Only once has a side two down after two Tests come back to win a five-match series, but fresh off the back of this big victory the master batsmen praised his side saying they answered all their critics. Coming into the match India’s batsmen, bar the brilliant Kohli, had been widely criticized, and the captain said: “As a batting group, we spoke about how the bowlers are doing so well and if we just stepped up as batsmen we will definitely be on top and that’s exactly what we did.”
The win means Kohli is now India’s second most successful Test captain. He has edged past Sourav Ganguly’s 21 Test wins. Now only MS Dhoni, with 27, has more victories.
For Joe Root defeat was a bitter blow, coming just a week after
England’s dominance at Lord’s. But the skipper decided to focus on the positives.
“We are still in the driving seat,” Root said.
“We have to keep remembering that. We have time away to reflect on what’s been a difficult week. We are a very good side at bouncing back after a tough couple of days. I am fully expecting the guys to come back at Southampton refreshed and ready to go.”
After deservedly going into a 2-0 lead and heading into the Trent Bridge Test on a high, the tables have now turned with all the question marks hanging over the England batting line-up, not least over the form of their two openers, Alastair Cook and Keaton Jennings.
But former captain Cook got a vote of confidence from Root.
“Cook is a world-class performer,” Root said.
“He’s proven that time and time again. I’d like you to write him off because every time he’s written off he comes back and scores a double-hundred.”
Virat Kohli confident India can upset the odds and claim series win over England
Virat Kohli confident India can upset the odds and claim series win over England
- Only once before has a side come from 2-0 down in a five-Test series to win.
- India go into next week's match in Southampton a high having cut England's lead to 2-1.
Hosts Morocco cruise, South Africa advance into Cup of Nations last 16
- Olympiakos striker El Kaabi nodded in an early opener and scored an overhead kick shortly after halftime, with both of his goals set up by the outstanding Azzedine Ounahi
- Mali go through in second place after a 0-0 draw with Comoros in Casablanca
- Egypt, who rested stars like captain Salah with first place already assured, topped Group B with seven points after their draw against Angola in Agadir
RABAT: Ayoub El Kaabi’s brace helped Morocco to a 3-0 win over Zambia on Monday as the Africa Cup of Nations hosts cruised into the last 16 while South Africa beat Zimbabwe 3-2 to also secure a berth in the knockout phase.
African player of the year Achraf Hakimi made his comeback from almost two months out injured for Morocco as Mali also qualified for the next round and Mohamed Salah was rested for Egypt’s 0-0 draw against Angola.
Morocco are the tournament favorites as the host nation and Africa’s top-ranked team but they were booed off by supporters following a 1-1 draw against Mali in their last outing.
Nevertheless, Walid Regragui’s team knew a win against Zambia at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in capital Rabat would guarantee their progress to the next round in first place in Group A and they outclassed their opponents.
Olympiakos striker El Kaabi nodded in an early opener and scored an overhead kick shortly after halftime, with both of his goals set up by the outstanding Azzedine Ounahi.
In between, Real Madrid attacking midfielder Brahim Diaz swept home Morocco’s second goal on 27 minutes at the end of a fine team move, again involving Ounahi.
Diaz has found the net in all three of Morocco’s games so far and he and El Kaabi join Algeria captain Riyad Mahrez on three goals at the top of the Cup of Nations scoring charts.
Captain Hakimi came off the bench in the 64th minute for his first appearance since suffering an ankle injury in action for Paris Saint-Germain at the beginning of November.
Morocco will stay in Rabat for a last-16 tie in the same stadium on Sunday against one of the best third-place finishers.
“Scoring early on changes everything,” said Regragui. “We need to continue like this but not get carried away and keep our feet on the ground.”
Zambia go out and have now failed to win any of their 12 AFCON matches across four tournament appearances since lifting the trophy in 2012.
Mali go through in second place after a 0-0 draw with Comoros in Casablanca, a game they ended with 10 men after Amadou Haidara was sent off.
It was a third stalemate in as many matches for the Eagles, who will remain in Morocco’s largest city for a last-16 tie on Saturday.
Salah rested by Egypt
Earlier, Oswin Appollis converted a late penalty to give South Africa victory against Zimbabwe in Marrakech as Bafana Bafana qualified for the knockout stage.
Rising star Tshepang Moremi gave South Africa an early lead with a deflected effort.
However, falling behind motivated Zimbabwe and they deservedly levelled on 19 minutes thanks to the individual brilliance of Tawanda Maswanhise from Scottish Premiership club Motherwell.
Maswanhise gained possession inside the South African half, dribbled past two opponents and fired the ball wide of goalkeeper Ronwen Williams into the far corner.
South Africa began the second period aggressively and regained the lead on 50 minutes through Burnley striker Lyle Foster, for whom it was a second goal of the tournament.
Zimbabwe brought it back to 2-2 on 73 minutes when Aubrey Modiba conceded an own goal, but Appollis then netted from an 82nd-minute penalty to give Bafana the lead for the third time, which they retained.
“Once again we fell asleep after a good start. We continuously lost possession,” said 73-year-old South Africa coach Hugo Broos.
“Our passing was bad at times and we should have concentrated on retaining possession in the closing minutes instead of seeking a fourth goal. We have to work on controlling games.”
Egypt, who rested stars like captain Salah with first place already assured, topped Group B with seven points after their draw against Angola in Agadir. South Africa finished with six points, Angola two and Zimbabwe one.
The last round of group games continues on Tuesday, with Tanzania playing Tunisia and Nigeria facing Uganda in Group C. Senegal take on Benin and the Democratic Republic of Congo play Botswana in Group D.
