Scott Boland dismissed Virat Kohli on Day 1 of 5th Test between Australia and India.© AFP
Virat Kohli chasing a delivery outside off stump and getting out, the same old story continues for the India star. The first day of India’s fifth and final Test was no exception as Kohli came out to bat at his usual number 4 position, left some deliveries well but eventually perished while chasing a delivery well outside off stump. He edged Scott Boland’s back of a length delivery at slips to depart for 17 off 69 balls. Trying to figure out what is wrong with the batting great, former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan drew his comparison with the legendary Sachin Tendulkar.
Tendulkar, who holds the record of scoring most international runs and centuries, was once troubled during India’s tour of Australia in 2003-04. It was his favourite cover drive that was creating all the problem as Sachin repeatedly lost his wicket while going for the shot in the first three matches of the series.
What followed was an incredible comeback from the cricketing great as he decided to not play the cover drive and ended up scoring 241 not out in his first innings in the fourth Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
“He is such a great player but doing the same mistake repeatedly. There is always a saying that extend the gap between your two mistakes. Big players do that but Virat Kohli has not done that,” Pathan started while commenting on the recent dismissal of Kohli at SCG.
“All of us talk about the great Sachin Tendulkar not playing the cover drive (on the same Sydney ground) and that Virat should also show his control like that outside off stump and leave deliveries, showing his discipline. But Sachin used to play the square cut and uppercut apart from the cover drive. However, Virat Kohli doesn’t have runs behind square.
“Virat doesn’t play those shots (square cut and upper cut). It’s not that he has never played such shots but he is reluctant to do it. This is the reason, he goes to drive and defend the ball on the line of the 6th or 7th stump, and continuosly gets the outside edge.”
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