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Losing ‘Hurts’ Virat, Says India Will Buck up for next Match

“Losing wickets in bunches is something we have to plug in,” said Virat Kohli.

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India captain Virat Kohli said losing wickets in a heap was the primary reason for their 72-run defeat against South Africa in the first Test in Cape Town on Monday, 8 January.

"Well in hindsight, we lost by 70-odd runs, if we had taken chances in the first innings, they would have been 220," said Kohli in the post-match presentation.

"Losing wickets in bunches is something have to plug in. We were in the game for the three days and it was a wonderful match to be part of. We would have taken that if someone told 208 would be the target," the captain said.

Kohli felt India needed a batsman to score a 70 or 80 in the second innings.

"It was a great effort but we needed someone to get a 75 or 80. 20s or 30s were not enough. They were a bowler short (Dale Steyn) but they pitched the balls in the right areas and bowled their hearts out. We need to rectify our mistakes also."

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Virat also rued on India’s lack of big partnerships, barring Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Hardik Pandya’s 99-run stand for the 8th wicket.

"This game is all about partnerships, and crucial runs, and they did better. The bowlers learnt pretty quickly and did well in the second innings. We are still feeling good about how we went about this Test match.

“The mindset really matters when you travel away from home. You need to be positive in defence and leaving, and cash in on scoring,” the straight-talking skipper said.

He was all praise for Pandya, whose 93 was a face-saver in the first innings.

"We believe in Pandya. He always wants to do well, even away from home. He showed a lot of character and the knock was brilliant.”

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The skipper also rated the Newlands track as an "outstanding" one.

"The pitch was outstanding. I really liked the kind of wicket this was. I think it was great for Test cricket – getting a result in four days despite losing a day's play, it was definitely not one sided, both sides were in it at different stages."

Kohli urged his boys to comeback in the next Test with more intensity than ever.

"To not having got the job done, it hurts and it should hurt because that's the only way you can rectify the mistakes and come out with more motivation in the next match," he signed off.

(With inputs from PTI.)

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