'Watch Joe Root': Kevin Pietersen Slams Virat Kohli For His Continuous Struggle Against Adil Rashid
Virat Kohli scored a half-century in the third and final ODI against England in Ahmedabad.
After a prolonged lean patch, Virat Kohli finally showed glimpses of his iconic form just ahead of the Champions Trophy. The Indian top-order batter scored a half-century in the third and final ODI against England in Ahmedabad on Wednesday, February 12. He, however, failed to convert it to a big score. Right after completing his 73rd ODI fifty, Kohli fell victim to Adil Rashid. It was the second consecutive time that the England spinner dismissed Kohli in the series. Kevin Pietersen who was part of the commentary panel was not happy with Kohli’s front-footed approach in playing that slower delivery.
“He shouldn’t be getting out to that ball. He’s a much better player than that. And he will be kicking himself. That ball is bowled slowly through the air. So he shouldn’t have been over-committed on the front foot. He should have played back to it. He should have punched it into the offside, and he would still have been batting and he probably would have gone on to get a big score," Pietersen said on the mid-innings show.
related stories
ALSO READ | ‘I’m Incredibly Sad’: Kevin Pietersen ‘Gobsmacked’ At Claim That England Trained Just Once During India Tour
The legendary batter further claimed that Joe Root would never lose his wicket in that kind of delivery. He suggested that Kohli should “watch" the England batter who wouldn’t be “over-committed on the front foot like that."
“You can see where it hits from the side-on angle. That hits the top of the bat. That hits the splice of the bat. Which means that he got his lengths wrong. That’s nowhere near the middle of his bat. Have a look at that," Petersen said.
“That’s where you can see where the ball has made contact with the bat. Look how far forward his bat is in front of his pad. This means he’s got the length wrong and he’s too good a player to get out like that. He shouldn’t be doing it. He shouldn’t be giving Adel Rashid that chance to get his wicket," he explained further.
ALSO READ | ‘Do Me A F*****g Favour, Stop Writing About Cricket’: Kevin Pietersen Blasts UK Journo For Defending England
Fans might have been quite concerned over Kohli’s form, with days leading up to the Champions Trophy. The former India captain missed the series opener against England due to a knee issue. In the second ODI, he managed only five runs. A fifty in the final preparatory game will certainly boost his confidence ahead of the all-important ICC competition.
- Location :
- First Published: