Former Indian cricketer Mohammed Kaif criticised Virat Kohli for his careless run-out on the first day of the Mumbai Test. Kohli's misjudgment at the non-striker's end led to a direct hit from Matt Henry, resulting in a disappointing end to the day's play.
Earlier in the day, Kohli had started his innings with a boundary, but his promising start was cut short by the unfortunate run-out. As the day's play was nearing its end, Kohli's dismissal left India in a precarious position.
Virat Kohli attempted a risky single off Ravindra Jadeja's bowling in the third ball of the 19th over, . Matt Henry, positioned at mid-on, reacted swiftly and executed a direct hit to the stumps. Despite a desperate dive, Kohli failed to make his crease. The 35-year-old's untimely dismissal left India reeling at 36/4 while replying to New Zealand's 235
Mohammed Kaif criticises Virat Kohli for his terrible run-out
Mohammed Kaif expressed his disappointment on Twitter regarding Kohli's run-out. He emphasized that such errors need to be avoided if India aims to reach the final of the World Test Championship.
"Virat Kohli in this series has been clean bowled to a full toss and now this error of judgement to be run out. This needs to change if India needs to reach the WTC final," Kaif wrote on his X account on November 1.
While India currently leads the table, the strong performances of Australia and South Africa pose a significant threat. Both teams have favorable home conditions for their upcoming Test matches. South Africa will play all four of their remaining Tests at home, while Australia will play five home Tests followed by two away Tests in Sri Lanka.
You can't have this repeatedly happening in every game: Anil Kumble
Meanwhile, India's legendary spinner Anil Kumble also lashed out at Kohli's suicidal run out.
"You can't have this repeatedly happening in every game, so it's more than a concern at the moment. You had an opportunity to get inside with just one wicket down of Rohit Sharma. And then yes, Jaiswal gets out and the night watchman comes in and gets out first ball, then this (Kohli run-out)," said Kumble while talking on Jio Cinema after end of play on Day 1.
India will resume their innings on Day 2 with Shubman Gill (31*) and Rishabh Pant (1*) at the crease. They will aim to erase the 149-run deficit and take control of the crucial Test match.
