2, 19, 3, 14: Kohli’s horror run
Indian superstar Virat Kohli’s miserable tour of New Zealand is over and likely his side’s chances of winning the second test.
New Zealand made up for a tough day with the bat at Christchurch’s Hagley Oval yesterday, where they were rolled for 235, fighting back impressively with the ball in the final session.
India were in strife at 90-6 in their second dig at stumps, giving them a lead of 97 runs on a dramafilled day, where a staggering 16 wickets tumbled.
The key turning point in the match may have come when skipper Kohli, the world’s premier batsman, again fell cheaply, struck in front by Colin de Grandhomme’s medium pace for 14.
India’s second innings batting fortunes rested heavily on Kohli. When he trudged back to the dressing room, the tourists’ hopes were dealt a monumental blow.
Kohli’s dismissal completed a woeful test series and tour of New Zealand for cricket’s megastar. He notched a dismal 38 runs at 9.5 in the two tests with a highest score of 19.
Across the tour, Kohli totalled
218 runs across the three formats at 19.8 with only one half-century.
De Grandhomme went from hero to villain, dropping a simple catch off Neil Wagner at deep square leg with Ajinkya Rahane on three. Wagner got Rahane second time around, chopping on for nine.
New Zealand’s ascendancy was hammered home when Cheteshwar Pujara was bowled by a beauty from Trent Boult for
24, reducing India to 84-5. Boult put the exclamation point on New Zealand’s bowling effort, grabbing his third wicket, bowling nightwatchman Umesh Yadav.
Completely outclassed in the first test, India had hauled themselves off the canvas with the ball to start day two.
New Zealand began the day in a strong position at 63-0 in response to India’s 242, but the tourists made regular inroads with the ball, dismissing the Black Caps for 235.
India’s bowling effort was summed up by a brilliant onehand grab in the outfield from Ravindra Jadeja to get rid of Wagner, a contender for best catch in any competition.
Quicks Mohammed Shami (4-81) and Jasprit Bumrah (3-62) led the way in a vastly improved