Fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah and batsman Mayank Agarwal were at the fore of captain Virat Kohli’s praise as India completed a 137-run victory over Australia in the third Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Sunday.

Bumrah took six wickets in the first innings and three in the second – and was named Man of the Match. Agarwal, on debut, struck 76 and 42.

The outcome afforded the tourists a two-one lead in the four-match series. The final Test will get under way at the Sydney cricket ground on Thursday.

‘The way Jasprit bowled in Perth, it was almost criminal not to take wickets at all after bowling like that. But the management kept him calm and told him that the wickets are going to come, and they came in bunches and he eventually won us the Test match here,’ said Kohli.

‘I certainly feel proud as a captain to see all these guys do well in partnerships. No-one here is looking to outdo the other – it’s all about what the team wants and the kind of breakthroughs we want in different stages and that’s why they’re special and good together.

‘Mayank showed great character, especially batting on day one on Boxing Day with so many people in the stadium. I think his composure was outstanding, plus Cheteshwar Pujara has always been composed. So our main aim was to get a big partnership. No-one here is looking for personal milestones or stuff like that.’

Kohli predictably targeted victory in Sydney – and drew inspiration from India’s series against South Africa earlier this year. The Indians lost that series two-one.

‘We want to win the last Test as well if the opportunity comes our way, and that’s the mindset we’ve been playing with since we started the year in South Africa. So, we don’t want to change that at all, regardless of the results,’ he added.

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