IND vs ENG 2021: [Watch] Virat Kohli survives as Joe Root drops a sitter at slips
In what could be a match-defining moment at The Oval, England captain Joe Root gave his counterpart Virat Kohli a second life, dropping him at slips in the 28th over.
It was a near-perfect setup from Chris Woakes as he bowled an inswinger on the first ball, a straight length ball on the second, before hurling in an enticing out-swinger. Virat Kohli kept his focus on the first two but went for the most awkward of pokes at the last, simply holding his bat outside off-stump.
The ball took a healthy edge which quickly went between Joe Root at first slip and Rory Burns on his right, both of them apparently leaving it on each other to go for the catch. Root ultimately went for it but it was too late as the ball swung through his hands and off into the third-man area.
Here's a clip of the same:
Virat Kohli has certainly looked the best of the Indian batsmen at the crease so far, even as the English have kept on chipping it from the other end. Conditions have been in the hosts' favor too, with cloud cover and a greenish pitch helping seam movement. Still, if the catch had been taken the Indian captain would have been under serious fire for his 5th straight dismissal behind the wicket.
Ravindra Jadeja goes soon after Virat Kohli's drop
Chris Woakes' hard work finally paid off as soon after Virat Kohli's drop, Ravindra Jadeja went fishing for a wide delivery and ended up giving the slips a catch. Joe Root didn't make a mistake this time and held on to a good low catch to his left.
Jadjea looked all at sea throughout his stay at the crease and couldn't justify his promotion to no.5. All eyes will now be on Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane to lead from the front.