"Kitne saal ke ho?" - Net bowler who dismissed Virat Kohli twice in Kanpur shares details of his conversation with the star batter
Team India's ace batter Virat Kohli was dismissed twice by a net bowler Jamshed Alam in Kanpur ahead of the Men in Blue's upcoming second Test against Bangladesh. The right-arm pacer recently shared details of his conversation with the former India skipper.
Alam said that he managed to dismiss Kohli twice in 24 balls. The youngster mentioned that Kohli asked him his age following the net session and appreciated his bowling.
Speaking to NDTV, Alam said:
"I bowled 24 balls to Virat Kohli. My speed was around 135 kmph and I got him out twice. The practice pitch was helping pacers, though the Kanpur pitch generally helps spinners. Virat Kohli told me, 'Well bowled bhai, kitne saal ke ho (How old are you)?' I told him that I am 22. He replied, 'mehnat karte raho (keep working hard).' I am over the moon after dismissing him."
Kohli failed to get going in the Test series opener against Bangladesh in Chennai. The seasoned campaigner registered scores of 6 and 17. He will be keen to make amends by getting a big score under his belt in the upcoming second fixture.
The second and final Test of the series will be played in Kanpur from Friday, September 27. India claimed a 1-0 lead with a comprehensive 280-run victory in Chennai.
"He has to lift his game" - Brad Hogg on Virat Kohli's red-ball form
Former Australian spinner Brad Hogg was asked by a fan if Virat Kohli should announce his retirement from Test cricket. He suggested that the right-handed batter should look to play at least till the completion of the ongoing World Test Championship (WTC) cycle.
Hogg, however, emphasized that Kohli needs a turnaround and will have to show some improvement in the remaining games. In a video shared on his YouTube channel with his name, the cricketer-turned-commentator said:
"No, I think Virat Kohli should play out these next 10 Test matches over the next 15 weeks. See how he goes there. But he does have to improve. He has to lift his game. He's got to get that consistency again. If India are going to have a chance at winning the World Test Championship, he at number four is crucial."
"Number four is a vital position. It's a position where you can control the game, you can bat through the latter part of the innings, and with the explosive batting that they've got in that middle order, they definitely need Virat Kohli to really step up and play his role with the bat, batting through the innings right to the end."
After the two-match series against Bangladesh, India's next red-ball assignment will be a three-match home series against New Zealand, beginning October 16.