Follow UsIt is more than an open secret that Virat Kohli struggled with deliveries just outside the off-stump throughout his Test career, particularly towards the back end. It was that struggle which led to Kohli having a stinker of a series in England back in 2014, where he averaged just 13.40 with the bat, getting out multiple times to deliveries outside off-stump.
During India’s glorious opening partnership, where KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal combined to put 91 runs for the opening wicket, they left a lot of deliveries outside the off-stump. On commentary, former Indian batter Sanjay Manjrekar seemingly took a dig at Kohli, stating that a former batter ‘would have gone after that delivery and got himself into trouble’.
"Deliveries outside the off stump, full, have been left alone. Jaiswal has done that. Anything that has been pitched right up into the stumps, he has driven. Anything that has been wide, he has looked to score on. KL Rahul has not touched one delivery or attempted to play one single delivery that's been full, just outside off. Anything that has been wide, he has gone with a covered drive," said Manjrekar while commentating in the first session on Day 1 of the first Test, reported Hindustan Times.
"So a lot of what you're seeing is being created by these two batters, and my hat's off to them. We know of a former batter who would have gone after that delivery and got himself into trouble. But not these two," he added.
“That's why I believe this is a young batting line-up. But when you look at their batting technique, they have the technique to survive in challenging test conditions. Sai Sudarshan as well. T20 Sensation will come and defend well. Down the order, Rishabh Pant has a good defence,” said Manjrekar.
However, unfortunately for Manjrekar, moments after this commentary bit, India’s newest Test debutant, Sai Sudharsan, was dismissed for a four-ball duck, joining an unwanted list. Sudharsan became the first Indian debutant in this century to be dismissed for a duck in the first innings of a Test.