"Steve Smith was constantly telling Ashton Agar... 'Keep bowling it outside'" - Ravichandran Ashwin on how Smith laid a trap for Virat Kohli
Veteran Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin believes Virat Kohli's wicket in the third ODI against Australia in Chennai had a lot to do with Steve Smith's brilliant captaincy. Smith led the Australian team in the absence of Pat Cummins and helped them win the series 2-1.
Kohli was batting on 54 in the deciding fixture of the series and looking set for a big score as India chased 270. He also stitched together valuable stands with KL Rahul (32) and Hardik Pandya (40).
Ashwin, meanwhile, noticed that Smith was urging his spinners to bowl a wider line outside the off-stump to Kohli. The Australian skipper realized that the pitch was holding up a bit and so he encouraged the bowlers to entice the superstar batter to go over the covers for a boundary.
Virat Kohli fell into the trap as a delivery from Ashton Agar gripped onto the surface. The former Indian captain could only find David Warner at long-off and he gobbled up the catch to put the Aussies in a commanding position.
In a video on his YouTube channel, here's what Ravichandran Ashwin had to say about the dismissal:
"When Adam Zampa and Ashton were bowling, the pitch was holding a bit. Both Virat and Hardik tried to hit over extra cover and the ball fell just short of the long-off fielder.
"I noticed Steve Smith was constantly telling Ashton Agar from the first slip, 'Keep bowling it outside. Because when they see the line, they will try to go over extra cover and if the ball holds its line and goes straight, it will go straight to long-off.'
"He also made David Warner come in a bit from long-off and set up the entire dismissal."
Ravichandran Ashwin backs Virat Kohli to have a great World Cup 2023
Ravichandran Ashwin believes that Virat Kohli not converting his half-century into a hundred in Chennai was just an aberration. He feels that the top-order batter is gradually returning to his vintage best and that he will have a sensational World Cup later this year.
On this, Ashwin stated:
"Usually, when Virat Kohli scores a fifty, he will convert it into an unbeatable hundred and prove why he is the king. But that did not happen. But fingers crossed, he is looking very good by the day.
"He is definitely going to turn it on during the World Cup, I have all the beliefs. Let's back him."
Kohli's form will be crucial to India's chances of finally ending their ICC tournament jinx, having last won a major title at the ICC Champions Trophy in 2013.