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- England Vs India 2016
ODI series loss in Australia, failure to win ICC WT20 title two setbacks in what was a great year: Virat Kohli
India have won series in Sri Lanka and West Indies, and defeated South Africa, New Zealand and England at home in a run of 18 unbeaten matches.
New Delhi: Virat Kohli on Tuesday played down the the fifth successive Test series win, claiming it's just the foundation of long journey ahead, and conceded that India did suffer couple of setbacks in an otherwise phenomenal year.
Today, India thrashed England by an innings and 75 runs in the fifth and final Test match of the series in Chennai, completing a 4-0 series win. It helped Kohli became the first Indian captain to win five series on the trot, a feat which collectively shared by three captains – Anil Kumble, Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Virender Sehwag – from 2008 to 2010 together.
India have won series in Sri Lanka and West Indies, and defeated South Africa, New Zealand and England at home in a run of 18 unbeaten matches.
But the Test captain rued India's ODI series defeat in Australia, and their the failure to win the ICC World Twenty20 at home.
In the year's first assignment, India played five ODIs in Australia under Mahendra Singh Dhoni's leadership and lost all but one match. India bounced back brilliantly, blanking the hosts 3-0 in the three-match series.
India failed to win the World T20 at home, losing to eventual champions West Indies in the second semi-final despite Kohli himself playing a brilliant 47-ball 89-run knock.
"As a team we have had a very good 2016 apart from two setbacks. One was the ODI series in Australia and second was World T20. We won the Asia Cup, ODI series against New Zealand in India and won all the Test series. It's been a memorable 2016 for the team and that's something I am really proud of,” Kohli said.
The 28-year-old, however, admitted that he's indeed “proud” to be part of a good team which just had a good year.
"To be part of such a good year and such a good season, especially with the team in transition is something we can be really proud of.
"But this is just the foundation that's been laid for us to carry on for lot many years. It's just the beginning. It's nothing that we want to achieve, it's not even a tiny bit of that. We understand where we want to go and hopefully the guys can keep putting this kind of effort and take the team where it belongs," he added.