In the last four years, India has been bundled out for a low score in a Test innings twice, and Virat Kohli has been a common link in both games. Michael Atherton, the former England captain, looked back at the time when his side destroyed for the same total against West Indies at Port of Spain in 1994.
In his column for the Times, Michael Atherton has drawn compassion between him and Rohit Sharma, both of whom have been part of the collapses as captains. India lost their first-ever home Test match against New Zealand after a gap of 36 years.
On a wet surface, winning the toss, the Indian captain decided to bat first and was blown away for 46 in a whisker. Some poor bowling against the lower order of the Kiwi side conceded over 300 runs of lead, and even though they nailed more than 400 runs in the third innings, it was too little for them to get saved.
“Welcome to my world, Rohit. There is not that much common ground between myself, and India’s swashbuckling captain, Rohit Sharma, but we both now know what it is like to captain a side that has been bowled out for 46. All the feverish adulation from a billion fans doesn’t diminish the hurt pride that follows such ignominy.” Michael Atherton penned down.
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“Earlier this year marked the 30th anniversary of my team’s 46 all out in Port of Spain, Trinidad, highlighted with a lengthy recollection in these pages. Having parked the events for so long to the back of my mind, there was a grisly kind of pleasure in revisiting them.” He continued in the column.
In that game for the Three Lions, the dramatic bowling performances of Curtly Ambrose, in the intense theater of the ground and the time when the format was well supported in the Caribbean, destroyed the batting line-up of the England side, who could only last for nearly 20-odd overs.
Michael Atherton points out that Rohit Sharma’s wrong toss decision will be recalled in the future
It was a dramatic decision from both the captains, not only Rohit, that even Tom Latham also shouldered on potentially batting first in the game. The pitch was under covers for nearly four days, and under overcast conditions, he decided to go with only two pacers and three spinners, including two premier all-rounders and Kuldeep Yadav.
“Why, by the way, is there greater opprobrium towards a captain who wins the toss, inserts the opposition, disastrously, over one who bats first, and it all goes wrong?” Michael Atherton expressed in his words.
“Rohit owned up, but it seems unlikely in years to come that he will be reminded of it in the way that Nasser Hussain was about Brisbane in 2002, when, having inserted Australia, his bowlers were flogged around the Gabba as Australia reached 364 for two at the end of the first day.” The former England captain addressed.
He also took a dig at Virat Kohli, who has now been part of both 36 and 46 in India’s Test history. India went on to win the series in Australia after a nightmare in Adelaide.
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“India’s batsmen plumbed the depths again before the previous embarrassment had slipped from memory. Virat Kohli’s glittering CV now includes being a part of two of India’s three lowest-ever scores.” Michael Atherton concluded.
The second of the three-match series will begin on October 24 at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune.