Top 4 Virat Kohli send-offs
It is no secret that Virat Kohli is a fierce competitor. He loves to celebrate every wicket on the field. Sometimes, it even seems like Kohli himself has taken the wicket; that’s how much energy the Indian captain displays.
Kohli is always in the face of the opposition and is never shy of having a go at someone in the middle. He is surely one of the modern day greats and is currently one of the best batsmen in the world, but he is also ultra-aggressive and can come across as arrogant and brash.
Kohli has a bit of history with send-offs; he’s been given a few and he has given others a few. Here, we look at the top four send-offs that Kohli has given in his career so far:
#4 India vs Australia, 3rd Test, Ranchi (2017)
Australia’s tour to India in February-March 2017 was a thoroughly engrossing one. Some excellent cricket was played throughout the series and there were quite a few controversies as well.
Australia surprised everyone when they thrashed India by 333 runs in Pune. But India came back from behind to win the second Test in Bengaluru. That second Test ended with Steve Smith’s ‘brain-fade’ comment - his explanation for looking towards the dressing room after being adjudged LBW.
In the third Test at Ranchi, in the second session on the first day, Kohli hurt himself while trying to prevent a boundary. He gave a chase from mid-on and dived to save the boundary but in the process landed awkwardly on his shoulder. Kohli went off the field and didn’t return for the rest of the innings.
In India’s innings, Glenn Maxwell put in a similar dive and saved a boundary. As he was coming back, he held his shoulder mocking Kohli. Smith and a few others also took jibes at the Indian captain when he was batting.
Australia trailed by 152 and needed to face about eight overs on the fourth evening. The Indian captain took the field despite his injury, and Ravindra Jadeja knocked over David Warner.
That was Kohli's cue; he gave Warner a send-off by continuously tapping his shoulder. The Indian captain never leaves anything unnoticed, and the jibes from the Aussies made Warner pay the price - being on the receiving end of a classic Kohli sledge.