Virat Kohli, India's ray of hope

COLOMBO: Earlier this week during a warm-up game, India's T20 World Cup hopes were nearly 'smashed' when their best batsman, Virat Kohli, received a beamer from Pakistan fast bowler Mohammad Sami that would have taken the batsman's head off had it connected. Luckily for India, Kohli somehow managed to avoid getting hit. The very next ball, this brightest jewel in the Indian batting crown showed what he is all about, slamming Sami for a six over long off.

In that game, Kohli played several exquisite strokes, including a 'straight hit' that nearly hit bowler Sohail Tanvir even as umpire Nigel Llong was forced to take evasive action. There was a six over cover off Saeed Ajmal that took one's breath away.

Kohli's unbeaten 75 off 47 balls in that match, and his 50 off 39 balls against Afghanistan — his third consecutive fifty in T20 cricket — further drove home the point that he is now the backbone of the batting order. With the openers out of form and the bowling appearing shaky, Kohli offers the brightest ray of hope for Indian cricket.

Kohli has become the first Indian batsman to hit three fifties on the trot in T20s. In ODIs, he hit an 86-ball, unbeaten 133 at Hobart against Sri Lanka, a knock which former Aussie batsman Dean Jones felt was as good as Viv Richards' epic, unforgettable 189.

Kohli then smashed 183 against Pakistan: the highest international score against them. In Tests, he won India a game at Bangalore last month with scores of 103 and 51 not out.

Former India skipper Dilip Vengsarkar, who introduced Kohli to international cricket during his tenure as the chief selector, back in 2008 for an ODI tour to Sri Lanka, is a proud man today, having seen his 'pick' come a long way now. "I feel glad seeing him now. Everything about him is impressive.

He remained focused on improving his batting. He thinks about his game, and he has done brilliantly in international cricket for himself," Vengsarkar told TOI on Friday from Mumbai. The words of praise don't just stop there. "He has gone from strength to strength and has now become the mainstay of the Indian batting," he adds.

What was it about Kohli that 'clicked' with Vengsarkar? "At the highest level, other than skills and technique, you need mental toughness too. That mental toughness depends from person to person. I saw that toughness in him when he controlled the innings during a game against New Zealand 'A' in the Emerging Players' Tournament Down Under. I had a gut feeling that he would perform well."

Even the Sri Lankans are becoming members of the Kohli fan club. Former Lankan batsman Hashan Tillakaratne, one of the stars of the 1996 World Cup winning team, feels the 23-year-old Delhi lad "is the best young cricketer in world cricket currently." "He looks organized at the crease. He seems hungry and determined for runs," Tillakaratne says.

For a few years at least, the spot at No 3 in ODIs and T20s, and at No 5 (maybe even No 3) in Tests looks secure.

Ashwin spins India to innings victory

The carrom ball was on target, last man Chris Martin started his walk back, and the Indians celebrated. The goodly Sunday crowd roared and Ravichandran Ashwin was the toast.

Man-of-the-Match Ashwin picked up his second six-wicket haul in the Test to return match figures of 12 for 85 – the best by an Indian against New Zealand in Tests.

Dismissing the Kiwis for 164 in the second innings, the host romped home by an innings and 115 runs at the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium here on Sunday, the fourth day of the first Test.


Left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha supported Ashwin admirably with six wickets in the Test and Virender Sehwag’s catching at slip on the final day was brilliant. The second and final Test begins in Bangalore on August 31.


Lack of character

Spectacular, the Indian victory certainly was. But then, the lack of character in much of the Kiwi batting was shocking. Only the dogged Brendon McCullum (42) and the impressive Kane Williamson (52) displayed some fight. In fact, a flawed decision that ended a determined 72-run second–wicket partnership between the two batsmen opened the sluice gates.


McCullum edged an incoming delivery from paceman Umesh Yadav to his pad but saw umpire Steve Davis’ finger go up. A visibly upset McCullum departed and the Kiwis subsequently crumbled.


The proceedings began only at 11 a.m. – inclement weather prevented play earlier – and India started with spin from both ends. There was less purchase for the spinners during this phase. The lack of sunshine and pitch being covered for long periods due to rain meant the surface was not particularly dry for the spinners. The use of the roller might also have helped bind the wicket initially.

Once the track became drier, things began to happen. New Zealand captain Ross Taylor offered no shot to an Ashwin delivery that spun in to disturb the stumps. Credit should be given to the bowler here. Ashwin had largely been spinning the ball into the right-hander from the off and middle stump with a leg-side cordon in place.

This time around, he put seeds of doubts in the batsman’s mind by turning the delivery from well outside the off-stump. The shift in line worked.


Classic dismissal

Ojha maintained the pressure from the other end. In a classic left-armer’s dismissal, he bowled a teasing delivery of flight, drift and turn to find the edge of Williamson’s blade. The Kiwi had batted with footwork, soft hands and deft touch.


The left-handed Daniel Flynn missed a sweep off Ashwin’s flighted delivery and a stunning low diving catch by Sehwag at slip ended southpaw James Franklin’s brief tenure. Ashwin’s delivery had turned and bounced to force the edge.


New Zealand was on a rapid downward spiral. Ojha looped up one to Doug Bracewell and Virat Kohli held a smart catch at gully. Ashwin trapped Kruger van Wyk leg-before when the batsman misread a carrom ball, removed Trent Boult with a top-spinner and soon it was all over 24 minutes after tea. In yet another capitulation, New Zealand had lost its last seven wickets for just 26 runs.

Earlier, the Indians were challenged by McCullum and Williamson. Both were cautious but read the length well. Ashwin had forward and backward short-legs and a silly mid-on for Williamson but no silly point. While the prospect of getting the batsman caught bat-pad with an off-break in the leg-side cordon always exists, not having a silly point could have been a ruse to get Williamson play more freely on the off-side and lure him to edge one spinning away or straightening to the ‘keeper or the slip.


Williamson, who drove with poise and style, was alert to the possibility. Soon the silly mid-on was taken out and there was a man at silly point!
Ojha operated to McCullum with two slips and a silly mid-on but no man at silly point, a logical position for a bat-pad catch for a left-arm spinner bowling at a right-hander. Once again, the ploy could have been to get the batsman to drive at the one spinning away. McCullum did not fall for the bait but then a rough decision got him.
There was a worrying moment for India when a Willamson pull off Ashwin struck Cheteshwar Pujara fielding at short-leg. Pujara went off the field with a bruised knee but an official statement said the injury was not serious.