Is inform Kohli becoming pacer CoulterNile’s bunny?
Virat Kohli and his everimproving Indian cricket teammates have made a mockery of their opponents in the last few months. In familiar conditions, they have ensured that the team is not reliant on one player. Yet, it is Kohli’s wicket that remains the most prized one for any rival.
On that front, Nathan CoulterNile can boast of providing the struggling Australian cricket team a silver lining.
In the recently-finished fiveODI series, Coulter-Nile dismissed the Indian cricket team captain three times. For a demoralised Australian side, searching for inspiration, it is a big positive. For Kohli, it’s a blemish that he would want to erase before the Australians return home.
Of the three times Kohli fell to Coulter-Nile, twice the dismissals bore a striking resemblance. In the second ODI in Kolkata, Kohli, batting on 92, chose to direct Coulter-Nile towards third-man but got an inside edge and was bowled.
In the fourth ODI in Bangalore, Coulter-Nile dismissed Kohli in similar fashion. Off a good length delivery from the Aussie speedster, that was going outside off, Kohli attempted to hit towards third-man. The ball took an inside edge and hit the stumps. India, ultimately, fell short by 21 runs, chasing 335.
Before that Coulter-Nile also got him in the first ODI in Chennai for a duck. Kohli attempted to drive the fast bowler off a wide delivery and was caught by Glenn Maxwell at backward point. It brought back memories of India’s 2014 tour of England when James Anderson and Stuart Broad constantly targeted the Indian batsman’s weakness on the off-side.
Kohli has come a long way but Coulter-Nile again showed his vulnerability.
Kohli, despite falling to the same bowler thrice in five matches, finished with 180 runs. Rohit Sharma (296), Ajinkya Rahane (244) and Hardik Pandya (222) scored more than him.
With India on a purple patch, the positives will justifiably be highlighted more but with the long-term target being the 2019 World Cup, Kohli would want to negate all weaknesses before the showpiece event in England.
At the Champions Trophy in England, Kohli stayed unbeaten in three of the five matches. But the two matches he got out – against Sri Lanka and against Pakistan in the final – the captain fell to two back of length deliveries that invited him to play outside off.
The World Cup is still two years away and
Kohli would want to iron out this flaw as he remains the most prized batsmen in this line-up. He had earlier said how Sanjay Bangar helped him overcome his weakness against the moving ball.
Nathan Coulter-Nile has made full use of the opportunity in the absence of top pacers like Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood. With 10 wickets, the pacer has been the best Australian bowler.
Australia will be playing the Ashes. Starc, Hazlewood and Pat Cummins will be preferred, but if any injury springs up, CoulterNile has presented his case well.
CHINK IN ARMOUR India skipper was dismissed three times by the fast bowler in ODI series RANCHI: