"There was no planning" - Mohammad Kaif on Virat Kohli's dismissal in 3rd IND vs AUS ODI

Mohammad Kaif feels a lack of planning led to Virat Kohli's dismissal in the third and final ODI between India and Australia in Chennai on Wednesday, March 22.

Australia set India a 270-run target after opting to bat first on a slightly spin-friendly surface. The Men in Blue were decently placed at 185/4 after 35 overs when Kohli was dismissed for 54 and they eventually lost the game by 21 runs.

In a post-match discussion on Star Sports, Kaif was asked about his thoughts on Kohli's dismissal, to which he responded:

"It was a chip shot. There was no planning. The ball had gone one bounce to Warner in the previous over. He just survived there. If you want to hit a six, you have to commit."

The former Indian batter feels the modern batting great should have tried to hit a maximum rather than looking to place the ball, explaining:

"When Virat Kohli decides something, he does it with certainty. You cannot play a half-hearted shot. When the ball becomes soft, the ball doesn't travel. You will not be able to hit the ball into gaps, you will have to put power there."

Kohli hit the ball with the inside half of the bat while trying to loft Ashton Agar over extra cover. The mistimed shot went straight to David Warner at long-off and put India behind the eight ball in the run chase.

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"It was a typical Virat Kohli innings" - Mohammad Kaif

Virat Kohli hit only two fours and a six during his innings. [P/C: BCCI]

Mohammad Kaif was further asked about his overall impression of Kohli's knock, to which he replied:

"It was a good knock. It was a typical Virat Kohli innings. He put in the hard yards. He pushed the ball into gaps and ran. It was not a very big target - 270 means approximately 5.25 runs per over, so you have time, you were not chasing 350. He took his time there. He hit a four and a six in Agar's over, which gave him momentum."

However, the cricketer-turned-commentator concluded by observing that the "Chase Master" failed to live up to his reputation, saying:

"It was expected that Virat Kohli would not get out once he had scored a fifty. He is a chasing master, his record is very good, but I will also praise the bowling. Agar bowled very well. He shouldn't have got just two but four wickets in this match."

Ashton Agar finished with figures of 2/41, castling Suryakumar Yadav off the very next delivery after dismissing Kohli. Adam Zampa (4/45) then accounted for Hardik Pandya and Ravindra Jadeja's dismissals to all but end India's chances of winning the game.