Don’t write off champions: Nathan Lyon on Kohli’s recent batting slump
The Australian team must be hoping to take advantage of Virat Kohli’s prolonged batting slump when the two sides clash in the five-Test series for the Border-Gavaskar trophy
With India’s batting under scrutiny after their 209-run defeat to Australia in the World Test Championship (WTC) Final at The Oval here, Virat Kohli has responded with a cryptic message extolling the importance of maintaining ‘silence’ in such a situation.
India’s hopes depended on the partnership between Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane as they started playing on the fifth day at 164/3 in their chase of a gigantic target of 444.
However, Kohli was the first to get out at 49 as he tried to hit a ball pitched wide off his off-stump and edged to Steve Smith at second slip in what legendary batter Sunil Gavaskar described as an attempt to “achieve landmark, a milestone”.
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Rahane was out for 46 and India did not last the full morning session and were all out for 234, losing the match by 209 runs.
It was the second successive WTC Final that India have lost in two years and the disappointing result further extended India’s drought for an ICC title.
Amid the uproar over the embarrassing defeat, Kohli took to Instagram to share a quote by Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu.
“Silence is the source of great strength,” said the message from the former India captain on social media.
It makes clear that Kohli has chosen not to react to the criticism directed at him because of the loose shot he played on Sunday.
India skipper Rohit Sharma admitted that they have let themselves down with the way they played in the match. He was particularly critical of the bowlers who failed to bundle out Australia early in their first innings after getting three early wickets.
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