IND vs NZ | Virat Kohli’s tactical blunder could cost India the match, feels VVS Laxman
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Virat Kohli’s decisions on the field on Sunday have not gone too well with VVS Laxman, who criticized the way the Indian skipper shuffled around the bowlers with the new ball. New Zealand added 52 runs for the last two wickets and Laxman feels that Kohli’s captaincy enabled them to do so.
After falling behind on the first two days, India got off to the perfect start on Day 3 as Jasprit Bumrah delivered a peach on the very first ball to see the back of BJ Watling. The Kiwis’ overnight score of 216/5 was soon reduced to 296/8 and at that point, it looked like India were well and truly going to crawl their way back into the game. However, from there, it was déjà vu for the visitors, who, like they’ve done several times over the past decade, allowing the tail-enders to tee-off, conceding 123 runs for the last three wickets to hand New Zealand the initiative.
The passage of play where Kyle Jamieson and Trent Boult teed off, in particular, had a lot of questionable decisions from Virat Kohli, with the introduction of Ravi Ashwin just four overs after the second new-ball topping the rest. Former Indian cricketer VVS Laxman called out the Indian skipper for his tactical blunders, questioning his field settings and his inability to get the most out of the new ball.
“I feel that the field settings by Virat Kohli ws not right for the situation, especially with the new ball. Because when you are playing in overseas conditions, new ball has a massive impact,” Laxman told the host broadcaster, reported Hindustan Times.
“In four overs he brought on Ravichandran Ashwin, I mean you have 3 quality fast bowlers you expect them to bowl at the tail. Virat Kohli missed a trick and this can cost India the Test match.”
The legendary batsman further felt that India, who at one point were threatening to bowl New Zealand well under 300, let the Kiwis off the hook and lambasted Kohli for his defensive tactics with the second new ball.
“After getting Tim Southee’s wicket, India let off New Zealand, at one stage it seemed they would not get even 100 runs lead but the partnership between Jamieson and Colin de Grandhomme got them to 183 runs lead. India will be ruing the fact - they were very defensive, tactics used by Virat Kohli were not right, especially when the second new ball was in operation.”
