Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
VIRAT NOW FACES BAN
Fuming Kohli could miss the next Test over his ‘intimidation’ of umpires
VIRAT KOHLI could find himself in hot water with the threat of missing the next Test hanging over him.
The Indian skipper’s argumentative display during yesterday’s third day in Chennai, in which he had two flashpoints with the umpires, could see him up before match referee Javagal Srinath.
And if found guilty of a breach of the ICC’S code of conduct, he faces the prospect of being banned.
Kohli had remonstrated with umpire Nitin Menon after being warned for running down the middle of the pitch.
He then had a lengthy argument with both umpires after a review for lbw against England captain Joe Root went against his side.
“Virat Kohli’s having a real go at the umpire,” former England skipper Michael Vaughan (above, right) told the BBC. “You can’t have him intimidating the umpire.
“It’s a stinker of a decision but you can’t be doing that as a captain.”
With Kohli having also stood his ground on day one when he was bowled by Moeen Ali, the home umpires may yet strike back following his antics by laying charges for Srinath to act on.
A charge of dissent could result in anything up to four demerit points which would result in a ban on its own.
But Kohli already has two points on his record so it would only take another two for him to miss the day/night Test in Ahmedabad next week.
He has spent a career operating close to the line with his on-field behaviour, but has never had an entirely Indian officiating team until now.
Kohli’s side have outplayed England at every turn in the second Test to leave India poised to level the series today. The return of the skipper’s familiar histrionics on the field when dealing with the officials may have helped give his team an extra competitive edge – but also served as a reminder of just what England are up against.
After the decision against Root went the batsman’s way even after a review, Kohli had a stand-up row with the umpire and even India coach Ravi Shastri got involved at the close of play.
But even if fans and pundits are unhappy the England camp appear to be keen to see more of the Kohli show over the next few weeks. “It’s cool to see,” said England’s spin coach Jeetan Patel.
“I played cricket best when I was passionate as well. I can see why he does it because it gets him going – and the crowd.”
The Virat way might be in your face, but it is also about producing cricket of the highest quality and Ravichandran Ashwin did just that with his fifth Test hundred. It was the third time he has grabbed a ton and a five-wicket haul in the same match. Only Sir Ian Botham has done it more often with five.
Kohli scored 62 before Ali dismissed him the second time in the match to give the England spinner eight wickets on his return to the side.