IN PHOTOS: Virat Kohli’s persistent off-stump flop show draws sharp criticism

Australia's pace blitz left Indian batters exposed in a session utterly dominated by the hosts, with rain constantly making its presence felt at irregular intervals on Day 3 of the third Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy on Monday (Pic: AFP)

Updated On: 2024-12-16 10:35 AM IST

Compiled by : E A

Virat Kohli (Pic: AFP)

As the rain came down from the sky covered with dark clouds, both sides had to take Lunch, with India reduced to 22/3, trailing by 423 runs, with KL Rahul unbeaten with a score of 13(24). In a start-stop session utterly dominated by Australia, Indian players were once again asked to reflect on their flaws as the impending doom of defeat started to linger in Brisbane. In reply to Australia’s 445, Indian batters continued to live through the nightmares inflicted in Adelaide, with Starc being the driving force of the hosts’ pace attack

Starc picked up Jaiswal's wicket on his second ball of the match after the Indian chipped it away straight into Mitchell Marsh's hands. Shubman Gill (1) was next to return cheaply after he edged it away to Marsh, who took a flight and snaffled it with both hands. Virat Kohli (3) soon joined the company of the duo after being tempted by Hazlewood to chase the outside off delivery and edge it away towards the wicketkeeper.

Despite evident efforts during net sessions to rectify the issue ahead of the Brisbane Test, Kohli’s inability to adapt in match situations has become a recurring concern. His dismissal in Brisbane is part of a series of similar errors, prompting former cricketers to raise alarms about the consistency of one of India's most reliable batters. Sanjay Bangar pointed out that while Kohli’s recent dismissals have often been due to exceptional bowling, his latest mistake was entirely avoidable. Hazlewood’s delivery, which was pitched fuller and well outside off stump, enticed Kohli into a loose drive, leading to a catch to Australia’s wicketkeeper, Alex Carey.

Offering advice to Kohli, Sunil Gavaskar reflected on Sachin Tendulkar's unforgettable 241 in the 2003-04 Sydney Test, where Tendulkar deliberately avoided his signature cover drive and concentrated primarily on leg-side strokes. Gavaskar suggested Kohli should adopt a similar approach and temporarily disregard playing shots on the off-side

Manjrekar commented on the persistence of certain technical flaws among players, seemingly referring to Kohli, who once again succumbed to a wide delivery outside the off stump and made an early return to the pavilion. "I guess the time has come to scrutinise the role of a batting coach in the Indian team. Why major technical issues have remained unresolved for so long with certain Indian batters," Sanjay Manjrekar wrote on X (formerly Twitter).

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