India spin spearhead Ravichandran Ashwin had a hilarious reaction to as why Virat Kohli was bowling in the warm-up game against Cricket Australia XI.
Team India bowlers were made to toil hard on day three of the warm-up game by Cricket Australia XI. Starting the day on 24 for no loss, Cricket Australia XI openers D’Arcy Short and Max Bryant added 114 runs for the first wicket. At one stage, the hosts were 213 for 2 before losing 4 wickets in quick succession. As a result, they found themselves 6 down for 234. However, an unbeaten 122-run stand between Harry Nielsen and Aaron Hardie helped them finish the day on a commanding 356 for 6.
And when Indian bowlers were struggling to break the stand between Nielsen and Hardie, Kohli decided to take the matters in his own hands.
Kohli introduced himself into the attack during the 87th over of the Cricket Australia XI innings on day three when Harry Nielsen and Aaron Hardie were making the Indians work hard on the field. However, Kohli too failed to get the much-needed breakthrough. The India star finished with a two-over spell wherein he conceded six runs.
Kohli created a chance in his very first ball as left-handed Nielsen played an aerial flick off his pads that fell just short of Jasprit Bumrah.
After the end of day’s play, Ravichandran Ashwin had a hilarious explanation over why the skipper decided to bowl. The off-spinner said that the captain probably wanted to show the regular bowlers the areas where to bowl at.
“Dishing out a lesson to all the bowlers about probably where you should bowl. Jokes apart, he just wanted to bowl a couple of overs because the bowlers were tiring out and before the second new ball came into play,” Ashwin said.
Here is a clip showing the hilarious explanation from Ravichandran Ashwin:
Just for laughs ??@ashwinravi99 talks about @imVkohli who had a bowl at the SCG today. pic.twitter.com/FcTZAyGqgr
— BCCI (@BCCI) November 30, 2018
Meanwhile, Virat Kohli finally got a wicket on day four when he sent back Nielsen shortly after the latter scored his century. The left-handed batsman hit one straight into the hands of Umesh Yadav at long on.
Cricket Australia finished their innings on 544 in reply to India’s 358. Apart from Nielsen scoring a century, D’Arcy Short, Max Bryant and Aaron Hardie scored fifties. For India, Mohammed Shami was the most successful bowler with three wickets while Ravichandran Ashwin picked up two.