Sunil Gavaskar asserted that Kohli and his men need to win matches overseas

Effusive in heaping praises for the victorious Indian cricket team, former captain Sunil Gavaskar feels that the home dominance is not enough, and now Virat Kohli’s men need to yield good results in overseas conditions. India got the better of  Australia 2-1 in the four-Test series, but Gavaskar said that the pleasure one derives from winning overseas is nowhere even close to winning at home, and that should be team India’ next goal now.

After handing over the Border-Gavaskar Trophy to the two Indian captains Ajinkya Rahane and Virat Kohli the ICC Hall of Famer also presented Virat with the ICC Test Mace for being the No.1 ranked Test team as on the cutoff date of April 1.

“That’s (winning overseas) what we always want to do, that’s the test we set ourselves as players. We are familiar with home conditions. It is great that we do well at home, it is pretty much expected. But winning overseas is a completely different satisfaction. It’s a greater satisfaction that in conditions that you are not used to, you have done well,” Gavaskar said.

India played brilliant cricket in the final Test, chasing down a target of 106 with ease on the fourth day. Gavaskar feels that this win will boost India’s confidence to win Test matches overseas as well.

“The team is on the right track with Anil Kumble as the coach because Anil not only has massive experience he was also an aggressive bowler. I think he had the temperament of a fast bowler and that aggression has been shown by the bowlers as well,” the former India captain told NDTV.

Gavaskar also gave good marks to Ajinkya Rahane the captain. Rahane was the stand-in captain after regular skipper Virat Kohli was ruled out of the play due to a shoulder injury.

“The way he (Rahane) handled the situation particularly after Australia were 140 for 1 on Day 1, the bowling changes he made at that stage actually showed what a sharp cricketing brain he has.” Gavaskar concluded.

India and Australia will meet again in June, at the ICC Champions Trophy in England.