CENTURION: India captain Virat Kohli wants his team to reflect on their decision-making and commitment after a 135-run second Test defeat by South Africa on Wednesday handed the hosts an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.

Kohli cut a visibly disappointed, and at times irritated, figure after his side failed to chase down 287 for victory, losing seven wickets in the morning session on the final day to be bowled out for 151 in their second innings at the SuperSport Park.

“We have not come here to play the way we have done,” Kohli told reporters at the post-match news conference. “That is something that we need to definitely speak about. We need to be hard on ourselves. We need to ask ourselves if we are giving 120 percent for the team every time we bowl a ball or play a ball or field a ball.

“That is something individuals need to reflect on themselves, but as a team we are definitely going to lay out these things in the open. We will ask the guys to be honest about what they were feeling at particular stages in the game.

“And unless you speak about it and lay it out in front of everyone, there is very little chance of improving. The mistakes that we made have been really about not putting attention to detail at important stages of the game.”

Kohli appeared particularly irritated when quizzed on team selection and whether the right XI had been selected for the second Test, saying he and the selectors had picked a side they believed could win the Test.

“What’s the best XI?” he asked. “You are telling me we could have played the best XI. So you tell me the best XI and we’ll play that. I’m saying the loss obviously hurts. But you make one decision and you back it.

“We certainly don’t sit here and say, ‘Oh, if you fail in one game you are not good enough to be at this level.

“We played with teams before that have looked really strong and have lost as well,” Kohli added.

The third Test starts in Johannesburg on Jan 24.

Published in Dawn, January 19th, 2018