Indian skipper Virat Kohli has mostly failed to score good runs in ongoing New Zealand tour as it is one of his worst tours in the international career. However, on day two of the Christchurch Test, while India made a great comeback with the ball, Kohli was seen in his familiar aggressive character. Former Indian cricketer VVS Laxman believes that Kohli is not getting affected by the low scores on the ongoing tour.
In the ongoing New Zealand tour, Virat Kohli has managed to score 218 runs in 11 innings with an average of 19.81. The right-handed batsman only managed to play three knocks over 20 runs in this tour. In the ongoing two-match Test series, Kohli scored only 2, 19, 3 and 14 runs. While he is silent with the bat, recently ahead of the ongoing Christchurch Test, the Indian captain slipped down from the top spot of the ICC Test batting rankings.
While Virat Kohli is famously known for his aggressive nature, in the ongoing New Zealand tour, he was mostly seen in calm and cool. However, the Indian captain has proven that wrong on Sunday (1st March) during day two of the Christchurch Test.
While India only scored 242 runs in the first innings of the Christchurch Test and the hosts New Zealand were batting on 63/0 at the stumps on day one, they were bowled out for 235 runs on the day two. Right from the beginning of day two, the Indian bowlers dominated over the hosts batting line-up.
During New Zealand’s first innings of the match, Virat Kohli showed his aggressive style of celebrations during the dismissals of Kiwi skipper Kane Williamson, Tom Latham and Henry Nicholls. In fact, Kohli took a good low diving catch at the second slip to dismiss Henry Nicholls.
The intensity, Virat Kohli’s body language was there to be seen: VVS Laxman
VVS Laxman praised the Indian captain for taking a superb catch at the slip to dismiss Nicholls. The former cricketer is feeling happy to see Kohli in his familiar aggressive mood despite his batting failure on this tour.
VVS Laxman told Star Sports, “It was an excellent catch (to dismiss Nicholls). It’s never easy for the 2nd slipper to take those low catches. It also shows the balance that Virat Kohli has when he is getting ready in the slip position. It was a very, very good catch. That’s what you want from your captain. You want your captain to set an example.
“The intensity, his body language was there to be seen. He is not getting affected by the low scores he has had so far on this tour.
“Because the worst thing for any team when you lose a Test match, when you lose an ODI series 3-0 is the body language and the confidence level of the captain getting affected. With Virat Kohli, you don’t see that. And that’s rubbing off on all the players.
“The body language is there to be seen on each and every player in the park.”
It was great to see that aggression from Jasprit Bumrah: VVS Laxman
VVS Laxman further praised the entire Indian team for remarkably making a comeback in the ongoing Test match at Christchurch. While India lost the first game of this two-match Test series against the hosts New Zealand at Wellington by ten wickets, they must have to win the Christchurch Test to save this series.
Though the Indian team had a hard time on the entire first day of the ongoing Christchurch Test, they have made a great comeback on day two, thanks to the Indian bowlers and fielders. VVS Laxman also praised Jasprit Bumrah who bagged three wickets during New Zealand’s first innings of the match.
Laxman said, “Not only in this Test series, the discipline and the aggression perfect combination to put the best of batsmen under pressure. I think over the last 12-18 months, we have seen this effort from the Indian fast-bowling unit whether it’s in Australia, South Africa or even at home.
“To get rid of the greatest New Zealand batsman after Martin Crowe which is Kane Williamson early and to come back in this match after giving away 60 odd runs where New Zealand seemed to be on top shows the character of this India team.
“Brilliant catching and Virat Kohli, the captain, leading from the front.
“It was great to see that aggression from Jasprit Bumrah. We have talked extensively about how he hasn’t had the best of series so far. But today he was getting the extra bounce from that length which is why he becomes a dangerous customer.”
However, at the stumps of day two of the Christchurch Test, the visitors again returned to the pressure situation as they were battling on 90/6, with the lead of 97 runs.