News Analysis India

Tag: Virat Kohli

  • Virat Kohli’s Replacement For First Two Tests Vs ENG: Sarfaraz Khan And Rajat Patidar In Contention – Report | cricket news

    India’s key batsman, Virat Kohli, has withdrawn from participation in the initial two Tests against England citing personal reasons that necessitate his immediate and exclusive focus, as stated by the BCCI on Monday. The cricket board has appealed to both fans and media to avoid speculating about the precise cause for his compelled absence before the commencement of the five-match series scheduled to kick off in Hyderabad on January 25. The Board has assured that a replacement for the prominent batter will be announced soon.

    “Virat Kohli has requested the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to be withdrawn from the first two Tests of the upcoming IDFC First Bank Test series against England, citing personal reasons,” BCCI secretary Jay Shah said in a statement.

    The BCCI also said that Kohli has discussed his decision with skipper Rohit Sharma and the team management. (Shoaib Malik’s Bride Sana Javed Shares New Wedding Photo On Internet, Check Pic Here)

    “Virat has spoken to captain Rohit Sharma, the team management and the selectors and has emphasized that while representing the country has always been his top priority, certain personal situations demand his presence and undivided attention,” the release further stated.

    Pant said “When I came into the Test team in 2018, the thought process under Kohli Bhai & Ravi Bhai was to win in overseas – We want to be the best in the world”. [Star Sports] pic.twitter.com/AKvecvY6HL Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) January 19, 2024

    Shah also said that BCCI completely backs its star player and has faith in the team and its ability to get results even without its best batsman. (Virat Kohli To Miss First 2 Tests Vs England Due To Personal Reasons, BCCI Requests Fans To Respect His Privacy)

    “The BCCI respects his decision and the Board and team management has extended its support to the star batsman and is confident in the abilities of the remaining squad members to step up and deliver commendable performances in the Test series,” the secretary said. He also urged everyone to respect Kohli’s privacy.

    “The BCCI requests the media and fans to respect Virat Kohli’s privacy during this time and refrain from speculating on the nature of his personal reasons.

    “The focus should remain on supporting the Indian cricket team as they embark on the upcoming challenges in the Test series,” Shah said.

    It has been learned that both Shah and chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar were kept in loop about the possibility of Kohli needing a break at some point during the England series. Recently, Kohli also skipped the first T20I game against Afghanistan due to “personal reasons”.

    Before that, he had taken a short break, again for personal reasons, during India’s tour of South Africa where he missed an intra-squad practice game and flew to London, within days after arriving in South Africa. The last time he took a break, which was not linked to any injury, during a Test series was a paternity leave in 2021 when his daughter Vamika was born. He only played the first Test of that series.

    Rajat Patidar vs Sarfaraz Khan as replacement

    It is understood that one among the two heavyweight India ‘A’ performers — Rajat Patidar of Madhya Pradesh and Sarfaraz Khan of Mumbai — are frontrunners to replace Kohli.

    Patidar recently scored 151 against the England Lions in an unofficial Test and Sarfaraz scored a half-ton in the second innings of the same game. There is talk of including veteran Cheteshwar Pujara in the line-up considering his experience of 20,000 plus first-class runs, including 7000 in Tests.

    However, it will be interesting if the current selection committee under Agarkar is ready to look back or move forward.The batting line-up for first Test will comprise Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer, Ravindra Jadeja, and KS Bharat (wk).

  • WATCH: India Cricket Stars Seek Divine Blessings At Ujjain’s Mahakaleshwar Temple On Makar Sankranti | cricket news

    After a resounding 2-0 lead in the ongoing IND vs AFG T20I series, the India cricket team stars, including Tilak Verma, Washington Sundar, Jitesh Sharma, and Ravi Bishnoi, embarked on a spiritual journey to seek blessings at the revered Mahakaleshwar Temple in Ujjain on the auspicious occasion of Makar Sankranti. The cricketers actively participated in the sacred ‘Bhasma Aarti,’ a ritual performed between 3:30 AM and 5:30 AM at the Mahakaleshwar Temple. Expressing their joy, the players shared with ANI, “It was a pleasure to be here and to take the blessings of Lord Shiva.”

    Tilak, Sundar, Jitesh and Bishnoi attend ‘Bhasma Aarti’ performed at the Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga temple in Ujjain.pic.twitter.com/jI7EO0zaNw

    — Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) January 15, 2024 Bhasma Aarti: A Unique Tradition

    The ‘Bhasma Aarti’ involves ash offerings and holds significant religious importance. Conducted during the auspicious Brahma Muhurta, it is believed that the wishes of the devotees who participate in this ritual are fulfilled. The temple priest, Sanjay Sharma, explained the elaborate ceremonies performed, including a holy bath of Lord Mahakal with Panchamrit.

    Cricket Stars’ Testimony

    The cricket players, seated in the temple’s Nandi Hall, expressed their gratitude, stating that it was a pleasure to be present and receive the blessings of Lord Shiva. This spiritual visit came on the heels of their victorious encounter against Afghanistan in Indore.

    Cricket Triumph at Holkar Stadium

    Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shivam Dube showcased stellar performances as India chased down 173 to secure victory in the IND vs AFG 2nd T20I at Holkar Stadium. Despite an early setback with the dismissal of skipper Rohit Sharma, Jaiswal, along with contributions from Virat Kohli and Dube, led India to a commanding win.

    Bhasma Aarti Goes Viral

    A video capturing the four cricketers, Ravi Bishnoi, Tilak Varma, Washington Sundar, and Jitesh Sharma, participating in the ‘Bhasma Aarti’ went viral on social media. The unique ritual, symbolizing the transient nature of life, resonated with fans.

    Tilak Varma’s Challenge

    While the cricketing stars soaked in the divine vibes, Tilak Varma faced cricketing challenges. Despite a commendable T20I record, competition within the Indian side, including the return of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, poses a challenge for him to secure a permanent spot in the playing XI.

  • IND vs AFG 2nd T20I: Will Virat Kohli Open With Rohit Sharma In T20Is? Saba Karim, Parthiv Patel Discuss Ideal Batting Position | cricket news

    As the T20 World Cup draws closer, the question of Virat Kohli’s batting position has become a topic of fervent discussion among cricket enthusiasts and former players. The upcoming tournament, set to take place in the West Indies and the USA, poses a unique challenge for the Indian team, especially considering the varied playing conditions they are likely to encounter.

    Also Read | Yuvraj Singh Questions R Ashwin’s Place In India’s ODI And T20I Team, Says ‘What Does He Bring With The Bat?’

    Former Indian cricketer and selector, Saba Karim, has expressed his preference for Virat Kohli to bat at No. 3 during the T20 World Cup, emphasizing the slow wickets that are anticipated during the Super 8s stage in the West Indies. Karim believes that in such conditions, a batsman of Kohli’s caliber can control the entire innings, ensuring stability and adaptability to the challenging surfaces. The strategic move is seen as a means to secure a solid foundation and navigate through the sluggish tracks that might demand a more measured approach.

    On the contrary, another former cricketer, Parthiv Patel, is an advocate for Virat Kohli opening the innings. Patel highlights Kohli’s stellar record as an opener in T20 cricket, underscoring his ability to set the tone for the innings and accumulate substantial runs. Patel argues that if Kohli is given the opportunity to face a significant number of deliveries, he has the potential to capitalize on the situation and post substantial scores, creating a strong foundation for the team.

    The debate gains further traction as India’s captain, Rohit Sharma, is believed to be backing Kohli to take on the role of an anchor at No. 3. Sharma’s support for Kohli in this position suggests a strategic move to stabilize the innings and counter the challenges posed by the slower pitches in the West Indies.

    The upcoming 2nd T20I against Afghanistan will offer a glimpse into India’s strategy, as Kohli is set to return to the playing XI after taking a break from the first match. It remains to be seen whether the team management opts for the No. 3 position for Kohli or continues to leverage his prowess as an opener.

    As India navigates the complexities of the T20 World Cup, the decision regarding Kohli’s batting position becomes a critical factor that could significantly impact the team’s performance. The clash of opinions between Karim and Patel mirrors the broader dilemma facing the Indian team management as they strive to strike the right balance between stability and aggression in their pursuit of T20 glory.

  • Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma To Open For Team India In T20 World Cup 2024? Coach Rahul Dravid Clears Air | cricket news

    Team India head coach Rahul Dravid confirmed on Wednesday (January 10) that Rohit Sharma and Yashasvi Jaiswal will open in the run-up to the T20 World Cup, underlining the importance of a left-right pair at the pole position. Rohit has returned to India’s T20 scheme of things for the series against Afghanistan, beginning on Thursday, after a hiatus of 14 months.

    His previous appearance was in the 2022 T20 World Cup semifinal against England at Adelaide. Jaiswal has been opening in the shortest format since the away series against the West Indies in August last year. (Virat Kohli To Miss India vs Afghanistan 1st T20I Due To Personal Reasons, Informs Head Coach Rahul Dravid)

    “As of now, we will be opening with Rohit and Jaiswal. When you have a squad that offers flexibility, we can take a call that is in the best interest of the team,” Dravid said on the eve of the match.

    “We are certainly happy with what Jaiswal has done for us as an opener. It also gives us the left-right combination at the top,” added Dravid. (Big Blow For Afghanistan Ahead Of T20I Series Against India, Rashid Khan Ruled Out)

    Sixes in T20i World Cups:

    Virat Kohli: 28, (24 vs big teams. Rohit Sharma: 15, (12 vs minnows.

    Real Hitman of world cricket.pic.twitter.com/RBwyEAURVt (@KohliMyHeart) January 9, 2024

    However, that will leave the question on how to find a place for Shubman Gill, who either opens or comes at No. 3 in T20Is. It is pertinent because Virat Kohli too has made a comeback to T20Is along with Rohit. Star batsman Kohli has been named in the squad for the series against Afghanistan, though he will be available only from the second T20I.

    So, how is the think-tank going to accommodate Kohli in the eleven? Is pairing Kohli with Rohit at the top a rational move to make? Dravid did not entirely rule out that possibility.

    “Nothing is closed (Kohli opening with Rohit). We have no doubt that the kind of ability and skill sets players like Rohit and Kohli possess, they will be able to find answers against different kind of bowling,” said Dravid.

    The former Indian captain said the selection process will be dominated by the ability of a player to negate all circumstances, and will not merely rely on the desire to field a left-right combination.

    “We still have left-handers in the line-up. But it is not only about left-handers but it is their ability to play through a period and to be able to tackle different kinds of spin that there is.”

    “Players like Rinku, Jaiswal and Tilak have come in as well, which adds a nice string to the bow. But in the end, we make selection on the basis of performance, not just on the left-hand or right-hand batsman, ” he insisted.

    The Bengaluru man was wholesome in his praise for Rinku Singh, and praised the Uttar Pradesh batsman for performing the high-pressure job of finisher with aplomb.

    “He has been performing well in the role of a finisher. This series (against Afghanistan) is another opportunity for him to develop himself as a cricketer further. Whatever opportunity he gets here or in the IPL, it will be good for his development. Whenever a player does well, he always remains in the thoughts of the selector,” he said. (With PTI inputs)

  • ‘What Will Happen When Virat Kohli Retires?’ Fans Go Crazy As India Go From 153-4 To 153 All Out During 2nd Test Vs South Africa

    IND vs SA 2nd Test: Fans on social media went crazy after India got bowled out for 153 runs in the Cape Town match.

  • IND vs SA 1st Test: Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma Smash Balls All Over The Park In Nets Session; Ravindra Jadeja Hits A Big Six

    Team India provided finishing touches to their prep for the Test series vs South Africa. The first Test is to be played in Centurion from December 26 to 30.

  • IPL: After another early exit for RCB, Pietersen says it’s time for Kohli to join Delhi Capitals

    By PTI

    BENGALURU: Former England captain Kevin Pietersen has suggested that Virat Kohli change his IPL franchise and move to Delhi Capitals, a day after Royal Challengers Bangalore endured yet another premature exit in the cash-rich league.

    In his team’s must-win last league stage match, Kohli rose to the occasion and struck a fine hundred to lift RCB to 197 for five, a total which proved insufficient as Gujarat Titans rode on Shubman Gill’s unbeaten century to notch a six-wicket win and end the home team’s campaign.

    “Time for VIRAT to make the move to the capital city…!” Pietersen tweeted.

    ALSO READ | We weren’t one of the best teams, didn’t deserve to be in semis: RCB skipper Faf

    Former India captain Kohli has been with the RCB since the inaugural edition of the league in 2008 and has led them for a major part of his stay in the franchise, relinquishing the role after the 2021 edition.

    While RCB were eliminated here on Sunday, Gujarat topped the league with 20 points and will take on second-place Chennai Super Kings in the first playoff on Tuesday with the winner advancing directly to next Sunday’s final.

    RCB’s loss meant Mumbai Indians sealed the final playoff spot, having beaten Sunrisers Hyderabad in the day’s first game.

    Mumbai Indians will meet third-place Lucknow Super Giants in the second playoff game on Wednesday.

    The loser of the first playoff will get another chance for a place in the final when it takes on the winner of the second playoff on Friday.

    BENGALURU: Former England captain Kevin Pietersen has suggested that Virat Kohli change his IPL franchise and move to Delhi Capitals, a day after Royal Challengers Bangalore endured yet another premature exit in the cash-rich league.

    In his team’s must-win last league stage match, Kohli rose to the occasion and struck a fine hundred to lift RCB to 197 for five, a total which proved insufficient as Gujarat Titans rode on Shubman Gill’s unbeaten century to notch a six-wicket win and end the home team’s campaign.

    “Time for VIRAT to make the move to the capital city…!” Pietersen tweeted.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    ALSO READ | We weren’t one of the best teams, didn’t deserve to be in semis: RCB skipper Faf

    Former India captain Kohli has been with the RCB since the inaugural edition of the league in 2008 and has led them for a major part of his stay in the franchise, relinquishing the role after the 2021 edition.

    While RCB were eliminated here on Sunday, Gujarat topped the league with 20 points and will take on second-place Chennai Super Kings in the first playoff on Tuesday with the winner advancing directly to next Sunday’s final.

    RCB’s loss meant Mumbai Indians sealed the final playoff spot, having beaten Sunrisers Hyderabad in the day’s first game.

    Mumbai Indians will meet third-place Lucknow Super Giants in the second playoff game on Wednesday.

    The loser of the first playoff will get another chance for a place in the final when it takes on the winner of the second playoff on Friday.

  • IPL 2023: Kohli in focus as RCB play SRH in must-win game

    By PTI

    HYDERABAD: Virat Kohli will be in focus as Royal Challengers Bangalore look to strengthen their claim for an IPL play-off berth in their must-win match against laggards Sunrisers Hyderabad here on Thursday.

    RCB are currently in the fifth spot with 12 points from as many games and faces two must-win matches to guarantee their playoff spot. SRH, on the other hand, are out of the tournament and languishing at the ninth spot with eight points from 12 matches.

    Alongside skipper Faf du Plessis, Kohli is one of the top scorers for RCB but after back-to-back failures — 18 against Rajasthan Royals and 1 against Mumbai Indians — the maestro would be looking to produce his best against SRH and help his side’s cause.

    Du Plessis has been leading the side from the front and is in scintillating form, occupying the top spot in the run-getters list with 631 runs from 12 games at an average of 57.36.

    Kohli is the next-best RCB batter with 438 runs, averaging 39.81 with six fifties.

    But unlike Du Plessis, Kohli has not been consistent enough and has struggled with his strike rate at times.

    The other batter RCB would be banking on is Glenn Maxwell, who has made a great impact with his sparkling knocks, which include five half-centuries.

    RCB are high on confidence after a commanding 112-run demolition of Rajasthan Royals in their last game.

    Riding on Du Plessis and Maxwell’s back-to-back fifties, RCB posted 171 for 5 and then Wayne Parnell (3/10) led the way in the company of Michael Bracewell (2/16), Karn Sharma (2/19) and Mohammed Siraj (1/10) to bundle out RR for a paltry 59.

    On the bowling front, the onus would again be on Parnell, Siraj and Bracewell to deliver the goods. The last match also saw RCB return to winning ways after back-to-back defeats against MI and Delhi Capitals. SRH, on the other hand, will play for pride after becoming the second team to crash out of the tournament.

    SRH would look to give their fans something to cheer about by registering wins in their remaining two games.

    It has been a lacklustre outing for SRH this season, both in the batting as well as the bowling department. Barring Heinrich Klaase and, to some extent, Rahul Tripathi, no other batter could deliver for the team.

    SRH were hit hard by the poor form of their skipper Aiden Markram as much was expected of the South African. Harry Brook showed sparks initially before fading away while Mayank Agarwal was nowhere to be noticed.

    Among SRH bowlers, the experienced Bhuvneshwar Kumar is the most successful with 14 wickets from 12 games, but he too didn’t look at his best. Mayank Markande (12 wickets from 10 games) impressed but SRH suffered heavily due to the poor form of Marco Jansen, T Natarajan and Umran Malik.

    Teams:

    Royal Challengers Bangalore: Faf du Plessis (c), Akash Deep, Finn Allen, Anuj Rawat, Avinash Singh, Manoj Bhandage, Michael Bracewell, Wanindu Hasaranga, Dinesh Karthik (wk), Siddarth Kaul, Virat Kohli, Mahipal Lomror, Glenn Maxwell, Mohammed Siraj, Wayne Parnell, Harshal Patel, Suyash Prabhudessai, Rajan Kumar, Shahbaz Ahmed, Karn Sharma, Himanshu Sharma, Sonu Yadav, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Kedar Jadhav.

    Sunrisers Hyderabad: Aiden Markram (c), Abdul Samad, Rahul Tripathi, Glenn Phillips, Abhishek Sharma, Marco Jansen, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Kartik Tyagi, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, T.Natarajan, Umran Malik, Harry Brook, Mayank Agarwal, Heinrich Klaasen, Adil Rashid, Mayank Markande, Vivrant Sharma, Samarth Vyas, Sanvir Singh, Upendra Yadav, Mayank Dagar, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Akeal Hosein and Anmolpreet Singh.

    Match starts at 7:30 PM.

    HYDERABAD: Virat Kohli will be in focus as Royal Challengers Bangalore look to strengthen their claim for an IPL play-off berth in their must-win match against laggards Sunrisers Hyderabad here on Thursday.

    RCB are currently in the fifth spot with 12 points from as many games and faces two must-win matches to guarantee their playoff spot. SRH, on the other hand, are out of the tournament and languishing at the ninth spot with eight points from 12 matches.

    Alongside skipper Faf du Plessis, Kohli is one of the top scorers for RCB but after back-to-back failures — 18 against Rajasthan Royals and 1 against Mumbai Indians — the maestro would be looking to produce his best against SRH and help his side’s cause.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    Du Plessis has been leading the side from the front and is in scintillating form, occupying the top spot in the run-getters list with 631 runs from 12 games at an average of 57.36.

    Kohli is the next-best RCB batter with 438 runs, averaging 39.81 with six fifties.

    But unlike Du Plessis, Kohli has not been consistent enough and has struggled with his strike rate at times.

    The other batter RCB would be banking on is Glenn Maxwell, who has made a great impact with his sparkling knocks, which include five half-centuries.

    RCB are high on confidence after a commanding 112-run demolition of Rajasthan Royals in their last game.

    Riding on Du Plessis and Maxwell’s back-to-back fifties, RCB posted 171 for 5 and then Wayne Parnell (3/10) led the way in the company of Michael Bracewell (2/16), Karn Sharma (2/19) and Mohammed Siraj (1/10) to bundle out RR for a paltry 59.

    On the bowling front, the onus would again be on Parnell, Siraj and Bracewell to deliver the goods. The last match also saw RCB return to winning ways after back-to-back defeats against MI and Delhi Capitals. SRH, on the other hand, will play for pride after becoming the second team to crash out of the tournament.

    SRH would look to give their fans something to cheer about by registering wins in their remaining two games.

    It has been a lacklustre outing for SRH this season, both in the batting as well as the bowling department. Barring Heinrich Klaase and, to some extent, Rahul Tripathi, no other batter could deliver for the team.

    SRH were hit hard by the poor form of their skipper Aiden Markram as much was expected of the South African. Harry Brook showed sparks initially before fading away while Mayank Agarwal was nowhere to be noticed.

    Among SRH bowlers, the experienced Bhuvneshwar Kumar is the most successful with 14 wickets from 12 games, but he too didn’t look at his best. Mayank Markande (12 wickets from 10 games) impressed but SRH suffered heavily due to the poor form of Marco Jansen, T Natarajan and Umran Malik.

    Teams:

    Royal Challengers Bangalore: Faf du Plessis (c), Akash Deep, Finn Allen, Anuj Rawat, Avinash Singh, Manoj Bhandage, Michael Bracewell, Wanindu Hasaranga, Dinesh Karthik (wk), Siddarth Kaul, Virat Kohli, Mahipal Lomror, Glenn Maxwell, Mohammed Siraj, Wayne Parnell, Harshal Patel, Suyash Prabhudessai, Rajan Kumar, Shahbaz Ahmed, Karn Sharma, Himanshu Sharma, Sonu Yadav, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Kedar Jadhav.

    Sunrisers Hyderabad: Aiden Markram (c), Abdul Samad, Rahul Tripathi, Glenn Phillips, Abhishek Sharma, Marco Jansen, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Kartik Tyagi, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, T.Natarajan, Umran Malik, Harry Brook, Mayank Agarwal, Heinrich Klaasen, Adil Rashid, Mayank Markande, Vivrant Sharma, Samarth Vyas, Sanvir Singh, Upendra Yadav, Mayank Dagar, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Akeal Hosein and Anmolpreet Singh.

    Match starts at 7:30 PM.

  • This is different Virat Kohli, one who has made more mistakes in one season than his entire career: Virender Sehwag

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Virat Kohli has made “more mistakes in one IPL season” than he has in his entire 14-year international career, feels Virender Sehwag, who is seeing “different version” of the former India captain than what one is normally used to.

    Kohli, who hasn’t scored an international hundred for more than two-and-half years, is enduring his worst slump, having scored 341 runs in 16 IPL games at a below-par average of 22.73 and two half-centuries.

    In fact, he opened the innings in most games.

    “This is not the Virat Kohli that we know. This is a different Virat Kohli playing this season. Otherwise the number of mistakes that he has committed this season, he hasn’t done it in his entire career,” Sehwag told Cricbuzz.

    Sehwag, one of India’s greatest match-winners during his prime, however empathised with Kohli as he feels that India’s No.1 batter has got out in all possible manners in his desperate bid to try out different tactics.

    “It can happen when you are not scoring runs. You try looking at various options to get out of bad patch and that leads you to getting dismissed in various ways. This season, Kohli has been out in all possible ways that one can think of,” the man with 17,000 plus international runs across formats, added.

    In the second qualifier, Kohli chased a fast, rising delivery from pacer Prasidh Krishna, which was wide outside the off-stump, giving a simple catch to Rajasthan Royals skipper Sanju Samson behind the stumps.

    “When you are out of form, then you have tendency of trying to middle each and every delivery. A batter thinks, if I can middle the ball, I will gain more confidence.

    “However Virat did leave a lot of deliveries in that first over (from Trent Boult) but this is what happens when you are out of form. You tend to chase the deliveries wide outside the off-stump. You start following each of them. So when you have luck going your way, even in bad form, you will not edge it but here this didn’t happen,” the former opener explained.

    What did catch Sehwag’s attention was his indecisive poke at the delivery.

    “The delivery that he got out to — it had pace and bounce. So he could have either left it or may be just go hard at it. Who knows, it might have flown over keeper’s head but what he did was give simple catch practice. It was as if he was giving catching practice like we do for the slip fielders during net session,” he analysed.

    Sehwag didn’t mince words when he said that Kohli did disappoint his millions of fans as one expects stars to own the big stage.

    “He has certainly disappointed everyone. We all expect that in a big game, the big player will perform, he disappointed not only himself but also his legion of fans and the RCB fans,” Sehwag added.

    In fact, former keeper Parthiv Patel raised a pertinent point about Kohli not having the cut shot in his repertoire, which at times comes in handy during lean patches.

    “On a bouncy track, one needs to play the cut shot. But Virat never plays the cut shot, that’s not his technique. So the delivery that got him out, a very similar delivery was also bowled to Rajat Patidar, who slashed hard and it went over fielder’s head for four runs,” Parthiv said.