‘He was annoying’: Jacob Duffy’s hilarious take on Virat Kohli after India’s win in Auckland

Virat Kohli throws his bat in the air after being dismissed during the first ODI against New Zealand. (Photo by AP/PTI) NEW DELHI: New Zealand pacer Jacob Duffy had a rather amusing assessment of Virat Kohli after India’s brilliant batting again proved to be the difference between the two teams in the first ODI at Eden Park in Auckland on Wednesday. Kohli smashed a fluent 74 off just 51 balls to guide India to a five-wicket victory in a rain-affected contest that left Duffy impressed and, by his own admission, a little frustrated.When asked about Kohli’s batting, Duffy couldn’t hold back and replied with a smile: “He was annoying (laughs). There aren’t many holes in his game…small ground, he uses pace very well.”The New Zealand pacer acknowledged the challenge of bowling to the former Indian skipper, whose ability to use the dimensions of Eden Park and exploit the speed of the deliveries made life difficult for the hosts.Kohli’s innings featured 13 fours and a six as India chased down a revised target of 143 in 22.4 overs in a match reduced to 32 overs per side after a rain interruption.READ ALSO: Sachin Tendulkar’s record gone! Virat Kohli makes history during New Zealand’s chase in India

‘180 at Eden Park will never be enough’

Reflecting on New Zealand’s batting performance, Duffy admitted the hosts fell short of a competitive total after being bowled out for 180.“180 at Eden Park is never going to be enough. They played quite well. We showed our intent for the series that we will not back down,” he said.Duffy also credited the Indian bowling attack for making life difficult for the New Zealand batsmen.“India bowled well, bounced very well. We are a good batting team,” he said.Despite the defeat, the pacer insisted that New Zealand will continue to play with an aggressive approach throughout the series.

Duffy was impressed by the Indian players and fans

Duffy also spoke of his admiration for the Indian players, highlighting their patience and appreciating the support they receive from the fans.“A lot of Indian players are patient, appreciate their fans. I look up to them…impressive to watch,” he said.The New Zealand pacer also touched on the decision not to use captain Mitchell Santner as a bowling option, pointing to the conditions at Eden Park.“Eden Park takes a wicket on the rebound,” said Duffy.Meanwhile, Kohli’s match-winning contribution was accompanied by several significant milestones. He broke Sachin Tendulkar’s record for most ODI runs by scoring 8,741 against Tendulkar’s 8,720.The 37-year-old also became the first batsman to reach 13,000 ODI runs at No.3, equaling Ricky Ponting’s record of 1,971 ODI runs against New Zealand.India will look to carry the momentum into the second ODI as Kohli’s record performance gives the visitors an early advantage in the series.