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Cricket Players'It's a shame we couldn't complete day 5': Virat Kohli reacts after rain forces draw in Nottingham
After the match, India captain Virat Kohli rued the bad timing of rain, while admitting that his team had a good chance to take a 1-0 lead in the series.
The first Test between India and England was shaping up to deliver an exciting and enthralling final-day finish, but the Nottingham weather had other plans. With India needing to knock off another 157 runs to win the Test, and England's bowlers targeting nine wickets, the game was evenly-poised heading into Day 5. But in the end, it was the rain that had the last laugh and denied the fans of a finish they deserved.
After the match, India captain Virat Kohli rued the bad timing of rain, while admitting that his team had a good chance to take a 1-0 lead in the series. Persistent rain washed out the entire day's play on Sunday without a single ball being bowled. Kohli added that he was happy to see India start well in the series while highlighting the importance of getting a first-innings lead in the Test.
"It's a shame. We were expecting rain on day three and four, but it chooses to arrive on day five. We thought we were in a good position to have a crack at the target. This is exactly what we wanted to do: we wanted to start strong," Kohli told the broadcasters.
"Heading to day five, we had our chances right in front of us. One good partnership and then you know what happens when there's only 150 on the board to defend. We certainly felt like we are on top of the game and it's a shame we couldn't complete day five. We bowled well enough and batted well enough to stay in the contest and then getting that lead was crucial which kept us on top throughout the game."
Kohli was particularly impressed with the way India's openers responded to the 209-run target set by England. After bowling England out for 303 in the second innings, India had to face 14 overs of play, in which they batted well to reach 52/1 at stumps on Day 4 with Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul adding 34 for the first wickets and later Cheteshwar Pujara remaining unbeaten on 12 off 13 balls.
"To get to 50 overnight is a big positive for us. It wasn't about survival; it was about getting the boundaries where the opportunity presented itself. Our intent is what kept us ahead in the game. Even today the start would have been the same," Kohli said.
