New Delhi, Jan 23: Team India's newly appointed limited overs skipper Virat Kohli passed with flying colours in his first assignment.
Ind-Eng T20I series schedule; Photos
India defeated a competent England side 2-1 in the three-match ODI series, in which Kohli led from the front.
Having already taken an unassailable 2-0 lead at Cuttack, Kohli, however, suffered his first defeat as a full time captain after England defeated Men in Blue by a margin of 5 runs in a last-over thriller.
But, this series will be a memorable one for Kohli as he successfully took over the reigns as skipper after Mahendra Singh Dhoni relinquished himself as the captain of ODI and T20I team.
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The 28-year-old led India defeated Eoin Morgan and Co. in both the high scoring matches, though hosts failed to chase down another 300-plus score in the final ODI.
It was after winning second ODI at Cuttack, Dhoni gifted the match ball to the new skipper as memorabilia of his series win.
During an interview to BCCI.tv Kohli revealed why Dhoni gifted him the match ball and what he did to the unique gift from his ex-captain.
"MS gave me the match ball in the second game. The stumps are too expensive nowadays and they don't allow us to take them home (smiles). He gave me the ball and told me that it was my first series win as captain and it is memorable. It was a special moment for me and I got the ball signed from him as well," Kohli said.
Kohli, who also happens to be India's batting mainstay, praised his team-mates for the series win.
"It has been a series of finds, character building, people expressing themselves and not worrying about the number of games they have played. The team has showed character and intent of being smart cricketers, winning games for the country," he said.
"There is no better feeling and I feel that the guys have really encashed the opportunity wonderfully and delivered every time we have been under the pump," he added.
India will now lock horns with England in the 3 T20I games, starting January 26 at Kanpur.
OneIndia News