Virat Kohli does not need us, we need him: Bumrah
Bumrah, however, stressed that Kohli knows his cricket better than anyone else and that his experience of batting in these challenging conditions was essential from the team’s perspective.
Indian stalwart Virat Kohli faced difficulty finding his rhythm against the West Indies during the second day of the first Test match in Dominica. It took him 81 deliveries to score his first boundary. Throughout his unbeaten innings, Kohli expressed dissatisfaction with the bowling action of West Indies captain Kraigg Brathwaite. In fact, the stump microphone reportedly captured him complaining about Brathwaite’s action to his teammate Yashasvi Jaiswal.
According to reports in Wisden and other sources, Kohli was heard on the stump mic saying, “Bhatta phenk raha hai,” which can be roughly translated as “he is throwing bricks.” This statement implied that Kohli suspected Brathwaite of chucking, suggesting that his bowling action was not within the legal limits defined by the sport.
This is not the first time questions have been raised about Brathwaite’s bowling action. In 2019, during India’s tour of the West Indies, Brathwaite was reported for his action. Additionally, his action was also reported in 2017. However, on both occasions, the International Cricket Council (ICC) found no issues with his action, indicating that it complied with the legal guidelines.
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As per cricketing laws, a bowler’s elbow extension should not exceed 15 degrees from the moment the bowling arm reaches the horizontal position until the ball is released. It is worth noting that Kohli has not officially reported Brathwaite’s action to the umpires. His comment about Brathwaite chucking seems to have been an observation shared with his on-field partner, Yashasvi Jaiswal.
Although no formal report against Brathwaite’s action has been filed yet, it is possible that a member of the Indian team may do so during the remaining two Tests of the tour.
Despite the controversy surrounding the bowling action, India remains in a commanding position in the Dominica Test match. At the end of the second day, they have established a lead of 162 runs over the West Indies.
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