NEW DELHI: Former India batter Sanjay Manjrekar praised Virat Kohli for placing the workforce’s wants forward of his private preferences by stepping as much as bat at quantity three when required.
Within the absence of Shubman Gill, who missed the primary Take a look at in opposition to New Zealand as a consequence of neck stiffness, former India captain Kohli got here in to bat at first down. Sadly, Kohli could not make an affect, as he was dismissed for a duck by William O’Rourke within the ninth over of the innings.
Regardless of Kohli’s struggles, Manjrekar did not maintain again in his reward, evaluating him to legends like Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly.He highlighted how Kohli took on the duty to bat at quantity three, one thing Tendulkar and Ganguly have been usually reluctant to do in Take a look at matches.
“Hats off to Virat Kohli! Popping out to bat at no three bcoz the workforce wanted it. Ganguly, Tendulkar have been very eager to open in white ball cricket, however by no means wished to go up the order in Checks. That is a real champion proper there for you! Virat,” Manjrekar posted on X.
Earlier, India crumbled to their lowest-ever residence complete of 46 on day two of the weather-hit first Take a look at in Bengaluru.
Quick bowlers Matt Henry and William O’Rourke mixed to bowl out India in simply 31.2 overs in the course of the second session, after the hosts selected to bat in difficult overcast situations. The primary day of the Take a look at had been washed out as a consequence of rain.
This marked India’s third-lowest complete in Take a look at cricket historical past. Their earlier lowest rating at residence was 75 in opposition to the West Indies in New Delhi in 1987.
India’s all-time lowest rating stays 36, recorded within the pink-ball Take a look at in opposition to Australia in Adelaide in 2020. In addition they infamously collapsed for 42 in opposition to England at Lord’s in 1974.