SK Epic Cricket Fails: Virat Kohli makes a huge DRS blunder

Srihari
Virat Kohli
Kohli’s horrible track record with DRS continued in the second Test at Bengaluru

Virat Kohli might be the most in-form batsman in world cricket at the moment, but a lapse in concentration coupled with another horrible DRS review meant India lost their Test captain cheaply on day one of the second Test between India and Australia at Bengaluru.

There can be little doubt that Kohli is the best batsman in the world but his recent track record with DRS has been abysmal at best and the way in which he was dismissed by Nathan Lyon shortly after lunch was perhaps made less embarrassing by the review when it looked certain for all money that he was out.

For the second time in as many Test matches, Kohli was dismissed padding up to a ball that didn't do a great deal. He was bowled by Steven O’Keefe in the second innings of the Pune Test, this time he was lbw to Nathan Lyon.

Extra Cover: India vs Australia 2nd Test: Live Commentary

Bizzare shot
It was a terrible decision by Kohli to leave the ball

The penultimate ball of the 34th over was delivered by the Australian off-spinner and it was nothing more than a simple off-break that was heading for the stumps. Instead of just defending the ball or working the ball to the leg side, Kohli, who initially went back trying to work it into the leg side, leg side, just shouldered arms to a ball that was going to hit middle and leg.

Perhaps the demons of the Pune pitch which turned square from day one was on his minds but the pitch at Bengaluru looked good for batting and the Indian captain's decision to not offer a shot proved costly as he was out lbw.

Review
A brief chat and another review was wasted

If the action had ended there, it probably would just have been a lapse in concentration, which happens to even the best batsman in the world. But the right-hander then proceeded to have a discussion with his partner at the other end, KL Rahul and bizarrely opted to review the decision.

DRS
Kohli added to his list of bad DRS calls by reviewing a plumb lbw decision

Even as he decided to take the review, the replay on the big screen was enough to have him walking back to the pavilion as there was pin drop silence amongst the crowd after Kohli's decision to review a plumb LBW decision.

Kohli
Kohli was waiting for the inevitable near the ropes

What made matters even worse was the fact that Kohli himself knew that he was out and yet he decided to waste the review in any case. He was near the boundary ropes before the ball-tracking technology was on the big screen and the third umpire had to even ask the on-field umpire to ensure that he didn't leave the pitch before the decision was announced.

The incident merely highlights the fact that although Kohli has scored a double century in each of his last four Test series, he isn't having a great series so far and will need to get back in form as India look to bounce back from their embarrasing defeat in Pune and win the series.

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Edited by Staff Editor