'It's a great feeling' – Kohli after India's historic win in Adelaide

The last time India played in Adelaide, in 2014, they had lost a closely contested affair by 48 runs despite Kohli's stunning twin centuries. Four years later, at the same venue, India came out on top of another close encounter to create a bit of history on Monday, 10 December, and the captain was thrilled.

"Four years back it was 48 runs but the other side, and this one is way better," said Kohli. "[Thirty-one] runs but on the other side of the result. Obviously, it's a great feeling. We've never taken the lead in a series in Australia, so it's something for us that is a huge, huge boost. It's given us the right momentum that we needed to play in big series like this ... and something that we're looking forward to build on."

Australia's lower order fought back brilliantly and despite having been reduced to 115/5 in chase of 323, they hung in and made it a memorable encounter. Shaun Marsh and Tim Paine made notable contributions, but all of Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Nathan Lyon also chipped in to give India a proper scare. Kohli, however, said India were always expecting the hosts to scrap it out.

"We didn't take anything for granted. The pitch also got a bit slow in the second session, I would say. And the Kookaburra ball, when it gets older, it's difficult for bowlers to get it going from a length and nick off people.

"So I think our fast bowlers still came in and bowled with great heart, and we knew that [Australia] are not going to just throw in the towel like that. Their tail is in the top three when it comes to lower-order averages in the past couple of years, so we expected them to put up a fight."

In the face of stiff resistance from the home team's batsmen, India's quicks rarely let up the pressure, probing away even with the older ball while they were visibly tiring.

"With the Kookaburra we've not been able to sustain that pressure for long enough in the past, but the fact that they are fitter ... they have more pace on the ball now for longer periods," the captain explained.

Ravichandran Ashwin seemed a tad ineffective on the final day, only managing to pick up the match-clinching wicket of Josh Hazlewood out of the six wickets to fall. But Kohli said that the off-spinner was bowling to a plan and had done perfectly well.

"He bowled in the right areas just to create chances and keep one end quiet. We didn't want to go overboard wanting him to attack too much because that would have opened up scoring options as well.

"He didn't let the game drift, and I think he did his job perfectly. And he finished with six wickets in the game, so that's a good start for him."

Cheteshwar Pujara's epic 132 in the first innings to rescue India from a precarious 41/4 was crucial, as was his 87-run stand with Ajinkya Rahane in the second dig, when both batsmen scored seventies. Lauding the duo, Kohli said, "Technically and temperamentally, they are both solid Test players. And they've done it before as well where they have batted together – incidentally in Bengaluru against Australia, when in the second innings we needed a big partnership and these two stepped up.

"Pujara was outstanding. He was the difference between the two teams for sure, but the way Ajinkya batted, so positive, so fearless, that's his game. Taking their bowlers on, not being intimidated, he has confidence in his own space, which I think is the most important thing for him. If he can continue to bat like that in every Test match, he certainly can take away the game from the opposition."