With a decent crowd having turned up for 100th test match of Virat Kohli at the PCA Stadium, Mohali, there were expectations of a big knock from the former Indian skipper on a batting friendly surface and the way Kohli started, it seemed as if he was all set for a bit one as well. Kohli was middling almost every ball and wasn’t looking in any kind of trouble at all against pace or spin.
But, all of a sudden, against the run of play, the Sri Lankan left arm spinner Lasith Embuldeniya produced an outstanding delivery to clean up Kohli and leave the entire stadium in a state of shock. That delivery turned a little bit, but more than the turn, it was the length of the ball which beat Kohli all ends up.
Virat Kohli decided to play that delivery off the backfoot, when the delivery was actually quite full and the ideal way would have been to get forward to that ball and smother the spin if there was any. Playing it off the backfoot, Kohli allowed the ball to spin and there was just about enough spin on the ball to hit the top of off stump.
Virat Kohli completed 8000 runs in test cricket during his knock today
Virat Kohli might have been dismissed for 45 and might not have crossed the mark of 50, but on his way to 45, he completed his 8000 runs in test cricket, which put him in the elite list of Indian test batsmen. He would have been a bit disappointed that he couldn’t capitalise on a great start, but whatever time he spent at the crease, Kohli looked in complete control of his game.
The Indian fans on twitter, however, were really sad that India’s no. 4 failed to end his 2-year long hundred drought once again. Here are some of the twitter reactions after Kohli’s dismissal –
No big score for Kohli, but Jadeja must have loved that ball from Embuldeniya. pic.twitter.com/8E8H03i7XG
— Abhishek Mukherjee (@ovshake42) March 4, 2022
Embuldeniya has overstepped so many times that Kohli should count himself unlucky the siren didn't buzz for that delivery.
— Saurabh Malhotra (@MalhotraSaurabh) March 4, 2022
Virat Kohli man! Embuldeniya has been brilliant today.
Virat was looking more than good today, sensed something huge, needed a miracle to make it happen & he was onto it in flow. But here we are, again!— Shrutika Gaekwad (@Shrutika_45_) March 4, 2022
Wait for the big knock from Kohli gets longer. Looked untroubled and in splendid touch till he was bamboozled and bowled by a Embuldeniya delivery which spun across the face of his bat to disturb the off stump. Sri Lanka keeping themselves alive in the match
— Cricketwallah (@cricketwallah) March 4, 2022
Virat Kohli was looking so assured, but credit to Embuldeniya for whipping out a ripper. Looked similar to that Adil Rasheed delivery which has cleaned Kohli up in 2018. Kohli sometimes look tad vulnerable against such balls. Disappointment all around #ViratKohli100thTest
— Navneet Mundhra (@navneet_mundhra) March 4, 2022
That was good while it lasted, after the initial bit of nerves Kohli looked settled there. Embuldeniya bowling well, nice discipline.
— Prashanth S (@ps_it_is) March 4, 2022
Nothing surprising considering Embuldeniya is their sole spinner and Kohli's love for 40s these days. https://t.co/S1aMLDyT25
— Arun (@_iArun__) March 4, 2022
Kohli plays inside the line of one from Embuldeniya that was slanted in and just straightens. Huge wicket for Sri Lanka. The wait for the hundred continues for Kohli.#INDvSL #VK100
— Anand Vasu (@anandvasu) March 4, 2022
Ah well! It was not to be in this innings. Kohli out to left arm spinner Embuldeniya on 45 #INDvSL The ball spun and how!
— neeru bhatia (@neerubhatia3) March 4, 2022
