'That's a Problem I Have With Virat': Manjrekar Questions Batter's Approach After WTC Final Dismissal
Virat Kohli was dismissed by Mitch Starc [AP Photos]
According to former cricketer, Sanjay Manjrekar, Indian batter Virat Kohli's dismissal on the second day of the World Test Championship (WTC) final against Australia can be attributed to his commitment to playing on the front foot.
Kohli, who was dismissed for 14 runs, found himself in trouble as he nicked a bouncing delivery from left-arm seamer Mitchell Starc to the second slip. While many critics and fans praised Starc for delivering a nearly unplayable ball, Manjrekar offered a different perspective on the dismissal, noting that the seasoned batter made things difficult for himself by consistently adopting a premeditated front-foot stride.
Manjrekar expressed his thoughts to ESPNcricinfo, stating that there was much discussion surrounding the delivery that led to Kohli's dismissal. However, the renowned commentator stated that upon examining the pitch map, he noticed that the ball had actually landed midway.
The seasoned analyst emphasized his concern with the right-hander’s approach over the past few years, where he consistently positions himself on the front foot, regardless of the situation.
"A lot was being said about the ball that was bowled. But, I looked at the pitch map and the ball actually has pitched halfway. It’s a short ball and if you see Virat Kohli [his position], that’s a problem that I have got with Kohli for the last couple of years, where he’s on the front foot no matter what," said Manjrekar.
The Indian veteran further explained that the ball delivered to Kohli was off a short length. However, it unexpectedly rose sharply from that position. He highlighted the issue with the 35-year-old's technique, pointing out that when a batsman is moving onto the front foot, their back foot tends to land outside the front crease.
Consequently, both of Kohli's legs were positioned beyond the crease, making it challenging for him to handle a ball that had risen sharply from halfway down the pitch.
“That ball is short. Unfortunately, it reared up from a length. But when you are getting onto the front foot, that back foot is outside the front crease. So both his legs are outside the crease and he is trying to negotiable a ball that has reared from halfway down the pitch," added the erstwhile cricketer.
The 57-year-old cricket analyst went on to emphasize that if the ball had been pitched on a good length, it would have been a challenging delivery for most batsmen who adopt a front-foot approach which is why he has become an advocate of back foot play.
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