Virat Kohli miserable series with the bat came to an end with another underwhelming performance as was trapped by Colin de Grandhomme for a meager 14 runs. Kohli could only manage runs at a mediocre average of 9.50 and as per VVS Laxman, the biggest reason behind Kohli’s struggles has been the way his bat came down to meet the ball.
“The problem for Virat Kohli is not the LBW dismissal, but the way the bat is coming down. This was the way he was getting out in England against the moving ball, especially against James Anderson. In this series we have seen the bat coming down at an angle, that is why there is always going to be a gap between bat and ball. He will not have any time to meet the ball once there is movement,” Laxman said after the day’s play got over in the post-match show on Star Sports.
Former New Zealand all-rounder Scott Styris said that a lot of credit had to be given to the way New Zealand planned their line of attack to Kohli and how they got rid of the Indian captain across both the innings.
“One must give credit to New Zealand for planning and executing and the plans have worked. Whoever is doing the planning, needs a pat on the back. Stump to stump, channel to start with, away swinger to get him thinking and then the one that comes back into the stumps to get him out,” Styris said on Star Sports.
India ended the day on 90 for 6 and they lead New Zealand by 97 runs. Hanuma Vihari and Rishabh Pant were the men at the crease when the stumps were drawn and the task will cut out for them when they resume the innings on Day 3.
