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Virat Kohli’s Ferocious Send-Off To Ben Stokes That Turned Up The Heat In Mohali

Aakash Saini

Virat Kohli and Ben Stokes [Source: @whoisvahini/x]Virat Kohli and Ben Stokes [Source: @whoisvahini/x]

Few cricketers wear their passion as openly as Virat Kohli, whose fiery presence on the field often mirrors the intensity with which he approaches the game. Ace England all-rounder Ben Stokes is another fierce competitor who thrives on confrontation, and when these two combustible personalities share the field, sparks are inevitable, giving rise to moments that transcend the game itself.

One of their earliest skirmishes occurred back in November 2016 at the PCA IS Bindra Stadium in Mohali, when Stokes was deceived by Ravindra Jadeja’s trajectory on the opening day of a Test match.

When Titans Collided In Mohali

Team India and the visiting Englishmen crossed paths in Mohali back in November 2016 for the third Test of the five-match series. On Day 1 of the match, Ben Stokes conjured a fighting 29 off 59 balls while batting at number six for England, cautiously steering them towards the 150-run mark around the halfway stage of the day.

In the middle of forming a threatening partnership with half-centurion Jonny Bairstow, Stokes was eventually deceived by the pace and skid of Ravindra Jadeja’s tight line. Missing the ball completely, Indian keeper Parthiv Patel successfully clipped the bails with Stokes over a yard outside the crease.

As the Englishman was making his way back to the pavilion, Virat Kohli charged in with a barrage of seemingly nasty words, delivering a fiery send-off that left little doubt about who was owning the moment. Unfazed, Stokes turned around with a glare and fired back in his own unfiltered style, before eventually vanishing into the dressing room tunnel.

The Virat Kohli vs Ben Stokes sub-contest did not end there! During India’s first innings of the match, Kohli punched out a sizzling 62 to strengthen India’s cause, before he was dismissed by none other than the English all-rounder.

However, it was Kohli’s Team India who had the last laugh, clinching the match by eight wickets to take a commanding 2-0 lead in the series.