Virat Kohli in WTC final© AFP
As the Indian cricket team began the chase of 280 rusn on Day 5 of the World Test Championship final against Australia, the onus was on Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane to give India a solid start. However, Kohli didn’t last for long in the morning session, departing for 49 runs while chasing a delivery way outside the off stump. His shot selection left many former cricketers and fans baffled, especially considering how well the talismanic batter was playing until that moment.
In a chat with Sportskeeda, former India opener Wasim Jaffer admitted being surprised at Kohli’s decision to go chasing the ball so wide outside the off-stump.
“I was a bit surprised. He was batting so well on Day 4 and was not playing this stroke. He was disciplined and was leaving a lot of balls even though Australia were constantly testing him [outside off stump]. I was surprised Kohli played such a stroke on the fifth morning.
“It was a bad shot. There’s no doubt about it. In the first innings, he got a very good delivery, which was somewhat unplayable and he couldn’t do much about it. He looked in control in the second innings. I feel he himself will be very disappointed,” Jaffer added.
Earlier, India great Sunil Gavaskar had also slammed Virat Kohli for the shot that led to his dismissal in the second innings.
“It was a bad shot. It was an ordinary shot. You should ask Kohli what shot he played. That was a shot outside the off-stump. We talk so much about the fact that when you are going to win a match, you need a long innings. You need a century-plus innings to win that. How do you get to a century-plus inning if you are going to play a shot which is so far outside the off stump?” Gavaskar had said on Star Sports.
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