Kohli gave India speech to 'make England's batsmen feel like hell'
India captain Virat Kohli gave his side intense speech to ‘make England’s batsmen feel like hell for 60 overs’ and warned them about ‘laughing’ in the field before huge win in second Test
- India took a 1-0 lead in the Test series against England with victory on Monday
- England failed to survive the India onslaught when hosts were playing for draw
- Prior to final session, Virat Kohli rallied his troops with an intense speech
- He said the last 60 overs of the day should ‘feel like hell’ for England’s batsmen
Virat Kohli demanded India make ’60 overs feel like hell’ for England in a fiercely intense battle cry prior to their victory on Monday.
Footage of the captain’s words while he addressed his troops in the huddle showed him laying down the law ahead of a few decisive hours.
The game was tantalisingly poised with England trying to see out the final day’s play without losing all their wickets, attempting to salvage a draw.
Virat Kohli told his players to give England’s batsmen ‘hell’ before they won the second Test
India came through to win when England were trying to play the game out for a draw
James Anderson held his head in frustration after he was the final wicket to fall
But India came out all guns blazing after Kohli’s brief speech in their huddle. He is translated to have said: ‘If I see anyone laughing in front of their players, see what happens. Got it?
‘Sixty overs should feel like hell out there.’
The bowlers clearly took Kohli’s words on board as they tore into England.
England openers Rory Burns and Dom Sibley fell for a duck with the fragile top order crumbling under pressure once more.
And when Joe Root, who has been by far England’s best batsman, was caught behind soon after tea, the outlook was bleak.
Jos Buttler and Ollie Robinson dug in for a while but once they had been removed, along with Moeen Ali, Sam Curran and Mark Wood, India knocked over Jimmy Anderson to claim a 151-run win.
England’s defeat was all the more painful after they had put themselves in a commanding position earlier in the day.
India were tottering before an unlikely stand between Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami took the lead to a point England could no longer think about chasing.
India are in control of the series with one game up and three to play this summer
Bumrah had targeted Anderson with hostile short bowling in the previous innings and emotion took hold of the England team trying to get their own back.
It led to some poor tactical decision making from Root and Co, allowing India to forge ahead in the game.
Kohli’s men were then able to give England’s batsman the ‘hell’ he wanted to seize victory at Lord’s with three Tests to play.
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