India v Australia: Virat Kohli says Steve O'Keefe was made to 'look dangerous' in Pune Test
Updated
India captain Virat Kohli labelled his side's batting performance during the first Test against Australia as "criminal", suggesting they effectively gifted Steve O'Keefe his 12-wicket haul.
Kohli launched a scathing attack on India's display after it lost by 333 runs to Australia in Pune, with the tourists having wrapped up victory inside three days.
Spinner O'Keefe did the damage with the ball for Australia with figures of 6-35 in each innings, his second haul having helped dismiss India for 107 in its run chase on Saturday.
O'Keefe had also destroyed India's first innings on day two, the hosts making an embarrassing 105 to concede a 155-run lead to Australia.
Kohli, who fell to O'Keefe for 13 in India's second innings, was dismissive of the Australian tweaker's role in the Pune result.
"If you don't apply yourself, any bowling attack can look dangerous," Kohli said on Saturday.
"It's as simple as that. Even a part-timer can get four wickets if you don't apply yourself.
"How badly we batted in the first innings is the main reason why couldn't get back into the game.
"We put ourselves under a lot of pressure."
Kohli was disgusted with the batting display in India's opening knock.
"Conceding a 160-run lead on that kind of wicket is criminal actually," Kohli said.
"If we were close enough to their first innings total, the bowlers' mind-set would be different in the second innings."
Pune loss 'no big deal' for India
India, ranked number one in the world, was unbeaten in 19 Tests ahead of the Pune encounter, while it had not lost to Australia on home soil since 2004.
But Kohli, who had made a duck in the first innings in Pune, called for calm, insisting India would not panic in the build-up to the second Test in Bangalore, which starts on March 4.
"It's fine. It's just another international game, it's no big deal, we take failures and losses as an opportunity to learn," he said.
"I wouldn't think too much about this Test. If after 18 or 19 Tests, we play one bad game, you have to accept that it's a part of international cricket.
"I don't know if people were thinking that we couldn't lose at all but in our mind there was no such thing. If we don't play good cricket, then any team can beat us."
ABC/Wires
Topics: cricket, sport, india, australia
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