New Delhi, October 25
Former Indian cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar expressed disappointment with star batter Virat Kohli's dismissal during the second Test against New Zealand at Pune, expressing that he played the "worst shot of his career" to get out.
During the first innings of the Pune Test, Virat was dismissed for a poor nine-ball one-run knock. He missed a low full toss delivered by spinner Mitchell Santner and played the wrong line as the ball sneaked under his bat and crashed into his stumps.
Taking to X, Manjrekar wrote, "Oh dear! Virat will know himself that he has just played the worst shot of his career to get out. Got to feel for him...coz as always he came out with solid & honest intent."
https://x.com/sanjaymanjrekar/status/1849680639668244690
This poor dismissal continues Virat's inconsistent run in Tests this year, having made 228 runs in five Tests and nine innings at an average of 28.50, with just one fifty and best score of 70.
In the ongoing ICC World Test Championship 2023-25 though, Virat has been rather solid. He has scored 539 runs in eight Tests at an average of 44.91, with a century and three fifties in 13 innings, with best score of 121.
The decade of 2020s has not been kind to Virat the Test batter, with him having made 1,816 runs in 33 Tests at an average of 33.01, with just two centuries and nine fifties in 57 innings and the best score of 186.
Coming to the match, NZ won the toss and opted to bat first. It was half-centuries from Devon Conway (76 in 141 balls, with 11 fours) and Rachin Ravindra (65 in 105 balls, with five fours and a six) that gave Kiwis a huge platform before Washington's seven-fer triggered a collapse, taking NZ from 197/3 to 259 all out. Ashwin (3/64) also delivered a fine spell with the ball.
India was 16/1 at the end of day one's play. On day two, Mitchell Santner triggered a massive batting collapse with his figures of 7/53, bundling out India for just 156 runs and giving NZ a lead of 103 runs. Ravindra Jadeja (38 in 45 balls, with three fours and two sixes), Shubman Gill (30 in 72 balls, with two fours and a six) and Yashasvi Jaiswal (30 in 60 balls, with four boundaries) played some decent knocks.
NZ is in their second innings and would like to take the lead as far as possible to set a formidable target for India and hand them a rare series loss at home after 12 years.