Former England spinner Graeme Swann has come into Virat Kohli’s support after his underwhelming show with the bat in the rescheduled fifth Test match at Edgbaston. Kohli was dismissed on a jaffa, bowled by opposition skipper Ben Stokes. He scored just 20. The ball pitched outside off stump and came inside from the angle but the added bounce managed to deceive the batting maverick.
The 33-year-old scored his last international century way back in 2019 and has been going through an unusual patch where he is failing to convert his half-centuries into the triple-digit score.
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Swann came in Kohli’s defence and said he was dismissed on a peach of a delivery and it will be difficult for anyone in the history of cricket to survive on that.
“You can say what you want, I don’t care, who is batting in any period of Test history if you can survive that delivery you are very, very lucky. That is unplayable. It’s a lucky catch in the end,” Swann said on Sony Sports.
He has been under a lot of scanner for his recent form, however, Swann feels that the Indian commentators are too harsh on the former India captain.
“Regardless, if you are looking to get on the front foot, back foot that ball is a ripsnorter. From an English point of view, I often find that whenever Indian commentators talk about Virat, I always think ‘wow they are quite harsh on him’. The standards are so high for Virat, I thought he was very at ease today,” he added.
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The former English spinner further defended Kohli’s batting stance and said he was clever and trying to tackle the English pacers by going forward.
“Yes, he is looking to get forward, but he knows that the England bowlers, Broad and Anderson, are looking to pitch it up. Jimmy won’t waste his time bowling many short ones to Virat. I think it was clever batting,” he added.
Earlier, in the first innings, Kohli was castled by young Matty Potts while trying to leave the ball but he was too late as the ball took the edge of his bat and went on to hit the stumps. He was dismissed on 11.
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