We want to give game time to KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant: Virat Kohli

KL Rahul, who was drafted to the Indian A side following a string of poor scores, returned to form and was involved in a 55-run partnership for the second wicket with Kohli. @ PTI

India captain Virat Kohli was pleased with comeback man KL Rahul s fine half-century, which was only among the few positives, other than Jasprit Bumrah s brilliant death-over bowling during the opening Twenty20 International against Australia at Visakhatpatnam which the tourists won by three wickets on Sunday. (ALSO READ: Glenn Maxwell s fifty guides Australia to thrilling three-wicket victory)

Rahul, who was drafted to the Indian A side following a string of poor scores, returned to form and was involved in a 55-run partnership for the second wicket with Kohli. Rishabh Pant was needlessly run-out and departed for just three runs.

We want to give game time to Rahul and Pant to figure out what we need to do in the ICC World Cup 2019. I think he (Rahul) played a really good knock, we had a good partnership. 150 would have been a winning score the way the pitch played. Australia deserved to win as they played better than us, Kohli said at the post-match presentation.

Chasing a target of 127, Australia were cruising along before Bumrah's (3/16 in 4 overs) brilliant 19th over nearly won the game for India. Kohli didn t miss to praise his bowlers and India s debutant, Mayank Markande, who returned wicketless and went for 31 runs in his four overs. (ALSO READ: I decided to target other players like Yuzvendra Chahal: Glenn Maxwell)

In the first innings, we were not up to scratch. The wicket was decent enough till the 15th over. We didn't bat really well. A low scoring game is always on the cards in T20 cricket. With the bowling effort we were pleased. Bumrah can do wonders with the ball when it is reversing and did exceptionally well to get us in the game. And Mayank did well in the middle overs as well. Anything is possible now, Kohli explained.