Virat Kohli is suffering from a ‘brain fade’ against Australia, says Mark Waugh | Cricket - Hindustan Times
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Virat Kohli is suffering from a ‘brain fade’ against Australia, says Mark Waugh

Mumbai | ByHT Correspondent
Mar 06, 2017 05:20 PM IST

Mark Waugh has lambasted India skipper Virat Kohli, stating that the swashbuckling middle-order batsman is suffering from a “brain fade” against Australia.

Former Australian batsman Mark Waugh has lambasted India skipper Virat Kohli, stating that the swashbuckling middle-order batsman is suffering from a “brain fade” and his “negative thinking” is affecting his teammates. (LIVE BLOG)

Indian cricket team captain Virat Kohli walks back to the pavilion after his dismissal against Australia in Bangalore.(AFP)
Indian cricket team captain Virat Kohli walks back to the pavilion after his dismissal against Australia in Bangalore.(AFP)

The current Australian national selector’s comments came after the Indian captain threw away his wicket by shouldering arms in the first innings of the second Test at Bangalore. He was batting on 12 off 16 balls when the judgement saw him trapped in front by Nathan Lyon in the 34th over. (SCORECARD)

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“That’s a brain fade,” Waugh told Fox Sports. “I know the ball before bounced and hit him on the thigh-pad and he’s a bit worried about those two men on the leg side, but that’s bread-and-butter for an Indian batsman, a class player. You just tuck that off the hip.”

A similar error in judgement in the first Test at Pune had seen his timber shaken by Steve O’Keefe in the second innings as Australia inflicted a 333-run defeat on the hosts. After a terrific run in form with the bat throughout the home season, Kohli has had a forgettable series so far with scores of 0, 13 and 12 in the three innings.

READ | Why this Australian is losing respect for India cricket team captain Virat Kohli

“It was very un-Kohli like. He made a point of saying ‘we need to play with much more intent in this game’ but he’s been the prime example of not actually doing that,” Waugh added. “He’s just thinking negatively because there’s men around the bat. He’s thinking if it bounces he might get an inside edge. As a batsman, you can’t think like that. He can hit that ball in his sleep for runs. He’s obviously thinking is a little bit negatively and that’s rubbed off on a few of his teammates.”

Waugh was also critical of the Indian batsmen who have had a sensational collapse in their form. While the team had scored over 600 runs in their last three Tests before the start of the series, in the three innings so far, the team has an aggregate score of 405 runs while Nathan Lyon and Steve O’Keefe took wickets in tandem to run through the batting-line up.

READ | Ravichandran Ashwin breaks Anil Kumble’s record in India vs Australia series

“In between those dismissals you don’t see the balls where one is sort of skidding and another is sort of standing up off the pitch. So there’s a bit of mental disintegration in between those balls,” Waugh said. “This pitch to me, it’s not as bad as Pune but it’s got that natural inconsistent pace and bounce in it - you see some balls turning, some keeping low. I don’t think it’s a great batting wicket, it’s disconcerting for the batsmen.”

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