"Wasn't something that we were very pleased to see"- Virat Kohli critical of SG balls
Virat Kohli is the latest player to criticize the SG Test ball which was used in the first Test against England in Chennai.
Earlier, Ravichandran Ashwin was critical of it and called it 'bizarre'.
The Indian team was largely unhappy with the ball, with its hand-stitched threads coming apart even before 60 overs were bowled.
Indian skipper Virat Kohli was skeptical of the ball and said after the first Test:
"The quality of the ball, honestly as well, wasn't something that we were very pleased to see. Because that's been an issue in the past as well - just for the ball's seam to be completely destroyed in 60 overs is not something that you experience as a Test side and something that any Test side could be prepared for."
However, Kohli didn't want to use the ball as an excuse and praised England for their impressive victory in Chennai.
"But that was the reality of the first two days, but having said that, (the ball is) not an excuse - England played better cricket than us and deserved to win," added Virat Kohli.
After their latest defeat, India slipped to fourth spot in the ICC World Test Championship table.
The home side will either need to win the series by 2-1 or 3-1 to make the finals of the World Test Championship.
Ravichandran Ashwin echoes Virat Kohli's sentiments
Ravichandran Ashwin echoed Virat Kohli's sentiments on the SG ball and was left unimpressed with it.
"This game, the ball was pretty bizarre for us, because I've never seen an SG ball tear through the seam like that before. It could well be a combination of how hard the pitch was the first two days. Even in the second innings after the 35th-40th over, the seam started to peel off. It was quite...it was bizarre. I haven't seen an SG ball like that in the last, so many years," said Ashwin.
With India going behind in the series, Virat Kohli and his men would be keen to make a comeback in the second Test which starts on 14th February in Chennai.