Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma (Source – Twitter/X)
Virat Kohli was back in form in the second innings of the first Test against New Zealand at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. Kohli was dismissed for a duck in the first inning but looked at his usual best as India aimed to surpass the humongous lead of 356 taken by New Zealand. The veteran scored a resilient 70 in the face of adversity as India lost both their openers within the 100-run mark.
He was well supported by Sarfaraz Khan, who was promoted up the order, with whom he stitched a 236-run stand for the third wicket. But just before the stumps on Day 3, Kohli nicked one to the wicketkeeper and departed. Former India cricketer, Aakash Chopra opined that the unusual way of his dismissal was due to lack of concentration.
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“It happens very rarely that Virat Kohli goes neither forward nor back. He has a huge forward stride and if he cannot reach there, he definitely uses the depth of the crease. It might have been playing in his mind that it was the day’s last over, and maybe a slight concentration lapse as he didn’t read the length properly,” Chopra said on Colors Cineplex.
If your luck is bad, you get an outside edge: Aakash Chopra
Kohli was batting on 70 having faced 101 balls as Glenn Phillips bowled a flatter ball outside off. Kohli stayed undeterred to defend the ball but it took the slightest of edge and was pocketed by wicketkeeper Tom Blundell. He took a review to no avail as Ultra Edge showed a spike.
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“You played a sort of defensive push and your luck was bad because the truth is that it’s only a difference of luck between getting beaten or getting out. If your luck is bad, you get an outside edge, and if it is good, it goes to the keeper and you hear oohs and aahs. Unfortunately, he got out for 70. It was a big blow,” Chopra added.