Perth, Jan 13 (IANS) India batsman Virat Kohli said Friday that it was bad luck and not lack of temperament or technique that has been ailing the team in its poor run in the ongoing Test series against Australia.

India were again shot out for 161 runs in the first innings shortly after tea on the first day of the third Test at the WACA Ground. India are trailing 0-2 in the series and are now staring at another loss.

Kohli, who top-scored for his team with 44, said India lacked in nothing more than a few lucky breaks at crucial times.

“Luck is a very important thing in cricket, and unfortunately (it) hasn’t been going our way in important phases just before breaks, after breaks,” Kohli said.

“We’ve lost important wickets at important times of the match. That’s all that’s been happening. I don’t think anyone has a lack of temperament or technique. It’s just that things haven’t been going our way recently.”

“I don’t think it’s a case that we are not mentally competing with them. It’s just that we haven’t done well in those important phases and Australia has,” he said.

Kohli said his teammates have to stay positive in their stroke play.

“You just can’t go into a shell. Australia came out and played their shots. I’m not saying we should play more shots. I’m saying the loose deliveries we have to put them away. We’ve tried to but we haven’t been able to execute properly.”

“It’s just one day. We still have four days left of Test match. I don’t rate it as the worst day of Test match cricket I’ve experienced. They might lose wickets in a cluster, so you never know,” he said.