Virat Kohli once again disappointed Indian fans as he lost his wicket for just 11 in the first innings of the ongoing fifth and final Test match against England at Edgbaston in Birmingham on Friday. Young English fast bowler got rid of the star batter in the 25th over of India's essay, as Virat Kohli extended his lean patch to 951 days. Virat Kohli joined Hanuma Vihari in the middle with India in trouble at 46/2, with both opener Shubhman Gill and Cheteshwar Pujara back in the hut.
Almost immediately after Virat Kohli arrived at the crease, rain began falling on the ground, and play was stopped for a while. When the match resumed, Virat Kohli looked quite composed and in good touch, even driving his nemesis James Anderson to the long-on boundary.
But just when it looked like Virat Kohli would stay in the middle for a long time, Matthew Potts bowled a delivery in the corridor of uncertainty, leaving the 33-year-old in two minds. Virat Kohli's confusion, in the end, cost him his wicket. While he didn't offer a shot, the ball ricocheted onto the stumps after taking the inside edge off his bat.
Following Virat Kohli's dismissal, he was heavily trolled on social media with some fans saying he finds new ways to get out, while others declared that he was “finished”.
Some even took jibes at him that he has turned himself into a “free wicket” for opposition bowlers these days, a few claimed that the wait for his 71st century has become eternal.
https://twitter.com/Abdullah__Neaz/status/1542866606182674432
Everyone would feel sad for kohli , missed his century by just 89 runs😭😭😭
Unlucky got out on ball of the century 💔#ViratKohli #ENGvsIND pic.twitter.com/oRAoqwB5xE
— Honest Chamiya Fan (@HonestChokliFan) July 1, 2022
Virat kohli free wicket for opponent now a days 💔😌 #ViratKohli pic.twitter.com/qj5BuFlA31
— 🅚🅘🅡🅐🅝 (@Duggavati_kiran) July 1, 2022
https://twitter.com/Allrounder_Anki/status/1542892730585870337
Greater then Sachin
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣#ViratKohli pic.twitter.com/8trxxBZJPG
— . (@single_soul1) July 1, 2022
Before the start of the contest, former India opener Wasim Jaffer and England legend Kevin Pietersen had backed Virat Kohli to come good in Birmingham.
“The guy is a great player, the guy is a genius,” Kevin Pietersen said. “Name me a player that hasn't gone through a rough patch in his career.
“Some of the greatest players have been dropped, they've actually just been parked. He's obviously going to get the pressure, but we've all been there, it's the circle of life, you are never good all the way around that circle,” he added.
“If at all the team needs a big score from Kohli, it would be now. It is an inexperienced batting lineup and he is somebody who needs runs very badly. He has come after a break. So you are hoping that he turns it around, will be mentally fresh,” Wasim Jaffer said on ESPNCricinfo.
“In this Test match, more than any other time, Indian team needs Virat Kohli to really fire and play a defining knock. Many a times we have seen that when Ajinkya Rahane or Cheteshwar Pujara haven't stood up, he has covered it up. But I think more than any other time, India needs him in this series-defining Test match,” Wasim Jaffer further said.
Notably, it has been 951 days since Virat Kohli last made a ton in any format of the game. His 70th century came way back in November 2019 in the first Pink Ball Test played on Indian soil against Bangladesh in Kolkata.
Since his century against Bangladesh, Virat Kohli's stats show a worrying sign. He has only managed to score 842 runs in 31 innings with an extremely poor average of 28.06.
While his average went below under 20 in 2020 when India only participated in three Tests due to the global outbreak of COVID-19, Virat Kohli averaged 28.12 in his next 11 Tests in 2021.
Though his average has witnessed a marked improvement as it is hovering in the mid-30s this year, it is still a long way behind from his prime days, when it was well over 50 for more than five years.
Coming back to the match, a 222-run partnership between Rishabh Pant and Ravindra Jadeja took India past 300.
However, it was Rishabh Pant who was the star of the day, becoming the fastest Indian wicketkeeper to hit a Test hundred. The 24-year-old batter's century came in just 89 balls.
It was a remarkable counter-attacking knock from Rishabh Pant, taking on the English bowlers with elan, aggression and poise at the same time.
The Uttarakhand batter was simply outstanding from the word go, firing on all cylinders as he went berserk at Edgbaston.
Rishabh Pant, however, was particularly severe against England spinner Jack Leach as he clobbered him for boundaries and sixes at will.
In one of Jack Leach's overs, he hit him for two fours and two maximums with a huge sixer over long-on being the highlight of his all-out attack on the left-arm tweaker.
Rishabh Pant's aggression eventually led to his downfall as well, as he wanted to bring his 150 with a four or six but was caught in the slips off the bowling of Joe Root. Pant made a whirlwind 146 off 111 balls.
Before being dismissed, Rishabh Pant got able company from Ravindra Jadeja who was seen playing a measured knock. The Saurashtra left-hander was unbeaten on 70, which featured nine fours when Rishabh Pant walked back to the pavilion.
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