They said it on television: “Kohli just doesn’t look himself. He seems a little out of it.”
This was in reaction to watching Virat Kohli walk out to bat instead of the overnight batsman Shikhar Dhawan on day 4 of the Gabba Test. It took everyone by surprise and for around 30 minutes no one quite knew what was happening. The BCCI took it’s time issuing a press release and by then, Kohli was back in the hut.
The Australians, especially Shane Watson, bowled well at Kohli and he never settled in. But the Indian vice-captain seemed distant, not focussed and now, as a report in one of the leading daily says: he was very angry too.
“The blame game started on his return to the dressing room. Kohli reportedly blamed Dhawan for his cheap dismissal and the latter responded, slamming speculation that he had chickened out. Dhawan reportedly told Kohli that he took pride in playing for the country. If his performance was not up to the mark, he would be willing to sit out, but will not take any insinuation that he faked injury,” said sources.
Eventually, Team director Ravi Shastri intervened to helped calm things down, according to sources. Kohli was out after scoring just one run, playing Johnson onto the stumps.
In the press conference at the end of the match, Dhoni had said: “Dhawan got hit in the nets but he did not really show that he was in a lot of pain. Immediately, after Dhawan I was into the nets, so I couldn’t follow up. Then, with just 5-7 minutes, left for the start of the day, we learnt that Dhawan would not be able to go in and that is when we told Kohli to bat.”
The short notice could not have made things easier for Kohli or for the batsman to follow and that was in evidence as the Indian batting collapsed yet again.
