"The lack of confidence is sometimes visible" - Aakash Chopra on Virat Kohli's dismissal on Day 1 of the 5th India vs England Test
Aakash Chopra has highlighted that the lack of confidence was evident in Virat Kohli's dismissal during India's first innings of the ongoing fifth and final Test against England.
Kohli managed just 11 runs off 19 deliveries, which included a slightly fortuitous boundary off an inside edge. He was caught in two minds while trying to leave a Matthew Potts delivery outside the off-stump and inside-edged it onto his stumps.
In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Aakash Chopra reflected on Kohli and Shreyas Iyer's dismissals. He said the following about the former Indian skipper:
"Virat Kohli's bat has not fired again. What is happening? Sometimes outside edge, sometimes inside edge. He was slightly scratchy right from the start. He got an inside edge where he survived. He was trying to leave the ball this time but was half-hearted, the lack of confidence is sometimes visible."
The cricketer-turned-commentator pointed out that Kohli once again fell victim to the outside-off line. Aakash Chopra explained:
"He is trying to play more on the front foot and to play after coming close to the ball but this ball was also once again slightly outside off, tried to leave, inside edge and the ball went and hit the stumps."
Potts predominantly bowled short-of-a-length deliveries to Kohli during his stint in the middle. The Indian batting mainstay was probably flummoxed by a slightly pitched-up delivery from the Durham pacer and was a little late in withdrawing his bat, which resulted in an inside edge onto the stumps.
"The short ball has been his problem regularly" - Aakash Chopra on Shreyas Iyer's dismissal
Aakash Chopra highlighted that Shreyas Iyer's dismissal down the leg-side cannot be termed unfortunate. He reasoned:
"Shreyas Iyer - till the time he was playing, it seemed how well he was batting. The ball was going nicely from his bat, hitting drives and flicks but the short ball has been his problem regularly. Down the leg-side, you will say it is unfortunate, but if you get out like that many times, which Shreyas has, then you will say it is not unfortunate."
The reputed commentator added that the England seamers seemed to have gone up in pace while bowling to Iyer. Aakash Chopra observed:
"You will have to try to play the shot ball differently because the moment Iyer was there, the England bowlers' pace went up. These things happen, as they say, the wind is spreading like wildfire."
Iyer's dismissal left Team India in deep trouble at a score of 98/5. However, Rishabh Pant and Ravindra Jadeja strung together an enterprising 222-run partnership for the sixth wicket to take them to a respectable score of 338/7 by Stumps on Day 1.