As has often been the case with Indian batsmen who walk back after the fall of India’s second wicket, Cheteshwar Pujara, too, headed back as the crowd at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium gave a rousing welcome to the next batsman. (LIVE BLOG | LIVE SCORECARD)
Virat Kohli walked in, took guard, but all of that cheering and chanting of his name came to an abrupt halt just after two deliveries. He had scored his fifth duck in Test cricket.
India were on the back foot with Mitchell Starc sending back Cheteshwar Pujara in the first over of his second spell, and that pressure grew manifold once Virat Kohli chased the wide delivery outside off-stump and edged it to Peter Handscomb in the slips.
{{/usCountry}}India were on the back foot with Mitchell Starc sending back Cheteshwar Pujara in the first over of his second spell, and that pressure grew manifold once Virat Kohli chased the wide delivery outside off-stump and edged it to Peter Handscomb in the slips.
{{/usCountry}}It was a soft dismissal, given that the delivery could have been left alone and wasn’t even on the stumps, but Virat Kohli tried to steer it through the covers but walked back, much to the disappointment of the crowd.
The last time Virat Kohli had gone back for a duck, he wasn’t even the captain for India, the side were world champions, and Gautam Gambhir was a regular of the Indian Test squad.
It was in Manchester, back in August 2014 when he last had a poor run of form, quite contrary to the stellar show he had been in the recent times.
With four double hundreds in as many series, much was expected from the Indian captain against their toughest opposition so far on the home tour but at 44/3, India were reeling under pressure with KL Rahul and Ajinkya Rahane out in the middle.