"Very important where we stand in the championship table" - Rohit Sharma reacts after India thrash Australia by an innings and 132 runs

Rohit Sharma looked ecstatic as Team India thrashed Australia by an innings and 132 runs in the first Test at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium in Nagpur on Saturday, February 11.

With the victory, the home side took a 1-0 lead in the four-match Test series and also kept their hopes alive of making it to the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final. The iconic Oval will host the summit clash, starting on June 7.

After the match, Rohit highlighted the importance of the win and was happy to contribute to the victory with the bat, scoring a fine hundred.

"Start of the series, very important where we stand in the championship table," he said at the post-match presentation ceremony. "When you're playing a series like this it's important to start well. I'm happy I could put in a performance like this to help the team. [It] was unfortunate that I had to miss a few Tests due to injuries but I'm happy to be back, playing well and doing well for the team."

India secured a 223-run lead in the first innings, riding on a century from Rohit and fifties from Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel. In response, Ashwin picked up a five-wicket haul as Australia were bundled out for 91 runs. Mohammed Shami and Jadeja scalped two wickets apiece.

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"I think it was the first two overs from the seamers" - Rohit Sharma on the first turning point

While spinners dominated most of the game, it was Mohammed Siraj and Mohammed Shami who gave India their initial breakthroughs in the first innings. Rohit also stressed that those two wickets turned the game in their favor on the first day itself.

"I think it was the first two overs from the seamers - 2/2 to start a game like that, you're pretty much in the ascendancy," he said. "The opposition is always under pressure (after that). We have quality in our bowling department. Shami and Siraj have both been in great form, they know how to exploit these conditions.

"Having that first-innings performance was important. All our batters applied themselves well to get us that lead and then our spinners bowled well."

The second Test between India and Australia is scheduled to be played at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi, starting on Friday, February 17.