WTC Final | Gavaskar Slams Virat Kohli For Letting Go Catching Opportunity at Slips
Kohli and Bharat stood behind the stumps (AP Photo)
Team India got off to a good start on Day 4, removing Marnus Labuschagne early in the first session. They further removed Cameron Green, eyeing to stop Australia from getting their lead over the 400-run mark. However, the Australian managed to frustrate the Indians with a 93-run partnership for the seventh wicket between Alex Carey and Mitchell Starc. Meanwhile, there was an opportunity to send Carey back early after lunch in the 72nd over.
Umesh Yadav, round the wicket, managed to beat Carey on edge, who was trying to play a drive away from the body and got an outside edge that flew between Cheteshwar Pujara and Virat Kohli at slips. Neither Pujara nor Kohli went for the catch, and the ball went to the boundary.
The duo of Carey and Starc went on with the partnership, with Carey completing his half-century and remaining unbeaten at 66 as Australia declared at 270 for 8 to end their second innings.
Gavaskar was unhappy on Kohli for not attempting the catch
Former Indian captain Sunil Gavaskar, who was live on-air after lunch, shed criticism on both the players, particularly at Virat Kohli, who was standing on the third slip for not taking the catching opportunity of Carey. According to Gavaskar, Kohli was better positioned for the catch than Pujara at second slip.
"This was Virat Kohli’s catch. He should have moved to his right and towards the ball! It was his catch, because he is a right-hander. Pujara is a right-hander as well, but this was towards his left," Gavaskar said on-air.
Noticeably, Pujara was also wearing pads as he stood at forward short-leg for Ravindra Jadeja and continued wearing those while standing at slips.
However, Australia were already in a commanding position after the first session on Day 4 and letting go of such a catching opportunity was very frustrating for Rohit Sharma & co.
Australia gave a target of 444 runs to India with more than four sessions left in the Test match. India, who are at 164-3 at the end of the fourth day, will continue the good work if they want to chase down the highest target in Test cricket's history ever.
At stumps on Day 4, Kohli is batting at 44* with Ajinkya Rahane assisting him with 20*. India still need 280 more runs to win the WTC Final 2023.
 "Kaushik Kashyap")
