'That was his undoing': Gautam Gambhir questions Virat Kohli's shot selection after India captain dismissed for duck
India vs England: Former India batsman Gautam Gambhir feels Virat Kohli could have waited to play the kind of shot he did that led to his dismissal on Day 1 of the second Test.
Former India batsman Gautam Gambhir feels Virat Kohli could have waited to play the kind of shot he did that led to his dismissal on Day 1 of the second Test between India and England in Chennai on Saturday. Kohli was dismissed for a duck, as a sharp, turning delivery from Moeen Ali sneaked through the ‘gate’ missing the batsman’s booming drive, making Ali the first spinner to dismiss the India captain for a duck in Test matches.
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“See, there are different players, they have got different skills, they’ve got different strengths as well. If you have to be very, very critical about Virat Kohli, all I can say is probably that early in your innings, you don’t drive a ball off an off-spinner from the rough. And then obviously that’s his strength as well. He looks to play a lot of cover drives,” Gambhir said on the Star Sports Network.
It was Kohli’s 11th duck in Test matches, and seventh as India captain. He is just one duck away from equalling MS Dhoni as the India captain with most ducks in Test cricket. While Gambhir reckons Kohli’s dismissal also had to do with the fact that he was playing against the spin, it was a ripper of a delivery from Ali to see the back of the India captain.
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“If you see Rohit Sharma, he would have been sweeping the same ball. Virat Kohli tried to play probably against the spin and that was his undoing. But again, you’ve got to give credit to the bowler as well, it was just a very good delivery,” Gambhir pointed out.
Despite Kohli's early dismissal, Rohit Sharma and Ajinkya Rahane played impactful knocks to put India back on track. After Kohli's wicket had left India in a spot of concern at 86/3, Rohit and Rahane added 162 runs for the fourth wicket with the India opener scoring a century – his seventh in Tests – and the vice-captain contributing with 67. India ended the day placed strongly at 300/6 on an unpredictable surface, and Gambhir believes that if the home team can bat to add another 50-60 runs in the first innings, England will find themselves under pressure.
“India will be very happy, especially on Day 1 considering how the ball was gripping, bouncing, turning. I think 300/6, India will definitely take it and if they can get to 350-360, England will have their task cut out on this type of wicket where you’re dealing with three spinners and you’ve got two spinners who will give you a lot of control,” Gambhir added.
“I think anything more than 350 would be a very good total. India already are in a very good position but if they can get to 350-370, India will be a very, very happy side. England will be panicking a little bit. Yes, a lot will depend on Joe Root because he plays spin very well, but these are some very tough conditions.”
