5th ODI : Kohli lauds collective effort for historic series win

Port Elizabeth: India skipper Virat Kohli on Tuesday was full of praise for the Men in Blue, claiming that the series win in South Africa was a collective team effort. "I am very pleased, it was another complete performance from us. They had the pressure of losing this series and we knew that. It's a history and the guys have worked hard for it. Ever since the third Test in Johannesburg, it's been a good time for us. It's been a collective effort to create history," Kohli said in the post-match conference.

The Indian team wrapped up the fifth One Day International (ODI) against the Proteas by 73 runs, to register their first bilateral series win in South Africa. They also climbed up to the number one spot in the MFR ICC ODI Team Rankings. "For now, 4-1 feels great. We want to win 5-1 for sure, but there might a scenario for a few more guys to get a chance in the next match. But the ultimate priority is to win and we'll do anything we can to win," Kohli added. Meanwhile, Rohit Sharma who scored his maiden century on the South African soil said that the century was long due.

"It's been a long time coming. It's always a good feeling when you score a hundred and your team wins. You have to keep yourself in a good frame of mind, that's what I've been doing," Sharma said after being crowned the man of the match. The Virat Kohli-led side started the series on the front foot, winning the first three matches with comprehensive wins in Durban, Centurion and Cape Town. However, India failed to maintain their triumphant run in the series as South Africa bounced back strongly to clinch a five-wicket win over the visiting side by the Duckworth-Lewis method in rain-hit and lightning-struck Pink fourth ODI in Johannesburg. The sixth ODI will be played on February 16 at SuperSport Park, Centurion.