Watch: Kohli, Pujara squander slip catch with bizarre 'no-attempt' act, baffled Gavaskar hammers Virat for 'moving away'
Virat Kohli and Cheteshwar Pujara let go of a big catching opportunity at slip during Day 4 of the WTC Final.
Australia strengthened their lead over India on Day 4 of the World Test Championship final at The Oval, and frustration continued for the side when Virat Kohli and Cheteshwar Pujara – the two slip fielders – squandered a catching opportunity in the 72nd over of the innings. Alex Carey nicks the first delivery from Umesh Yadav post-lunch and the ball travels through the gap between Kohli and Pujara, with none going for the catch.
Kohli, who was standing at the third slip, instead decided to back away from the catch – assuming that Pujara would go for it. The latter, meanwhile, expected the same from Kohli and the ball eventually traveled to the boundary, adding salt to Umesh's wound. It was worth noticing that Pujara was wearing pads while standing at the slips; he stood at forward short-leg for Ravindra Jadeja and decided not to remove the pads even while fielding at slips for pacers.
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India's former captain and batting great Sunil Gavaskar, who was on-air at the time, wasn't too happy with both players and bashed Kohli in particular, insisting that it was his catch. Gavaskar stated that Kohli, who is a right-handed, should've gone for the catch as the ball had traveled by his right side.
“It has happened many times in Indian cricket for this to be something to be laughed at. This was a catch. Virat Kohli moved to the other side, he should've moved to his right and towards the ball! It was his catch, because he is a right-hander. Pujara is a right-hander as well, but this was towards his left,” Gavaskar said during his commentary stint on Star Sports.
Australia had extended their lead to 374 runs by the end of the first session of Day 4, adding 70 more runs to their overnight score of 123/4 .They did lose te two important wickets of Marnus Labuschagne and Cameron Green, but maintain a commanding position in the Test thus far.
