Kohli praises Jadeja after India's emphatic win against Proteas

Test skipper Virat Kohli on Saturday showered praise on left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja, saying that the all-rounder can turn out to be a valuable asset in the future.

Speaking after India's resounding 108-run win over South Africa in the first Test of the four-match series here, Kohli said, "I am happy for him. He went back and got a lot of wickets in the Ranji Trophy. He scored runs as well and he is feeling good mentally now. People with all-round ability are hard to find; it is just a matter of him keeping his mental strength, and he can be an asset for India in the future."

Jadeja was adjudged Man of the Match for his five-wicket haul in South Africa's second innings to add to his three in their first innings. He also made a vital 38 in India's first innings.

Reflecting his views on his side's win, Kohli said, "First Test as captain at home was a special occasion for me, it is a young team, building a strong team together. Seeing the way things have gone in the past month-and-a-half, the way we played here, a lot of credit has to go to the team. We thought if we are finding it difficult on this wicket, it is going to be difficult for them."

Chasing 218 on a difficult track, the South Africans failed to counter the Indian spinners, as both Jadeja and Ashwin bundled them out for 109 in their second innings in less than 40 overs. Stiaan van Zyl was the lone batsman to provide some resistance by scoring 36.

Ashwin claimed eight wickets overall, including three in the second innings, while Amit Mishra provided able support by dismissing a dangerous AB de Villiers for the second time in the match.

Earlier in the day, the tourists produced a terrific comeback as they made early inroads into the Indian batting line-up to set themselves a winnable 218-run target.

With this win, India have taken a 1-0 lead in the four-match series and will next take on South Africa in the second Test at Bangalore from November 14.