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'You destroyed their batting, put them into bat again': Inzamam-ul-Haq questions Kohli's decision to bat at Headingley
Former Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul-Haq believes India should have opted to bowl after winning the toss.
India captain Virat Kohli finally won the toss on Thursday at Headingley in the third Test against England. But surprisingly, he opted to bat first. The call came just a week after India had rattled England in the fourth innings for 120 on a dry fifth-day surface, and a few cricket pundits wondered why Kohli would not opt to try and put pressure on England batting line-up by making them bat again.
The decision proved to be a bad one for India as Kohli & co. were bundled out for 78 runs in the first innings, giving the momentum to the hosts, who finished Day 1 with a total of 120 runs on the board without losing a wicket.
India vs England 3rd Test Day 2 - LIVE!
Former Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul-Haq believes India should have opted to bowl after winning the toss.
“(England are) a team that you had defeated some days before. In the fourth innings, on a dry pitch, you made them absolutely flat. You destroyed their batting. If you have won the toss here, put them into bat again," Inzamam said in a video uploaded on his YouTube channel 'The Match Winner'.
“With the advantage of two hours (of moisture), I won’t say that England would have been all out for 78, but they wouldn’t have scored big," he added.
The former Pakistan cricketer further criticised the approach of Indian batters on Day 1 and said that Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli did not put any pressure on England bowlers.
“The Indian batters never put any pressure (on the bowlers). As a cricketer, whatever the nature of the pitch is, whether there is swing or spin, if you have played 25-30 balls, your eyes, your eye coordination, your hand coordination, all these get accustomed to the pitch.
"You have to take some chances after that. Like Rohit Sharma, he played 105 balls. You can’t say that you are not set after playing 105 balls. You have to take responsibility and you have to play your strokes.
“Virat Kohli too played 31 balls. But what did he do? He made 7 runs, and he was completely tied up," he signed off.
