Nasser Hussain : Virat Kohli needs to accept some responsibility for India’s loss

One has to feel for Virat Kohli, often a lone ranger in the Indian batting line-up and that was a case once again as India endured a narrow loss at the hands of Joe Root & Co. in the first Test match at Edgbaston. Kohli’s brilliant 149 and a brave 51 was the only indication of batting brilliance as far as the Indians were concerned as the rest of the batting line-up failed miserably. Kohli’s contribution with the bat amounted for 45.87% of India’s total runs across both innings which was the highest ever by an Indian batsman.

But former England skipper Nasser Hussain reckoned that even though Kohli’s performance with the bat was without a doubt amazing, he needed to manage his bowlers well as he should assume partial responsibility for India’s loss.

“Kohli was phenomenal in this game. He deserved to be on the winning side for the way he played with the tail. He singlehandedly brought India back into the Test match. I do think he should take some of the responsibility for the loss, though.

“England were 87/7 with Curran and Adil Rashid at the crease and for some reason Ravichandran Ashwin went out of the game for an hour. India lost control then - he needs to look back on his captaincy and say ‘when I’ve got a bloke who averages 19 against left-handers and a 20-year-old left-hander on strike, why did I take him off?” Hussain told Sky Sports.

The fact that the opening Test at Edgbaston turned out to be such a stunner was good for Test cricket opined Nasser. 

“The pitch has a lot to do with that - it wasn’t a flat belter - and so have the players. The standard of bowling and captaincy (has been great). I think Joe Root has been outstanding in this game.

“A lot of times nowadays we see one side get ahead in Test matches and series and then the other doesn’t seem capable of fighting back. This match has switched one way and then the other,” Nasser added.

Hussain also heaped praise on 20-year old all-rounder Sam Curran, who ended the game as the Man of the Match after he picked up five wickets as well as scored a crucial 63 in the second innings to keep his team in the match.

“He has won England this game. India might say Kohli got 200 runs but who turned this game around? A 20-year-old. It’s a phenomenal achievement. He changed the course of two innings. He came on with India 50-0 and pitched it up, swung it and got four for nothing and he then went in with England 87/7.

“After his first game you thought he was maybe a bits-and-pieces cricketer and wondered whether he was quick enough, could move it enough and if he was a proper batsman. I always used to say ‘pick someone on their character more than what they are showing in county cricket’. He has character in abundance,” Hussain added.