Kohli does it again with another DRS shocker
Virat Kohli’s love-hate relationship with DRS has reared its ugly head again after another shocking call in his side’s IPL defeat.
The India captain has a reputation in Test cricket for wasting reviews and he was up to his old tricks in Royal Challengers Bangalore’s defeat to the Chennai Super Kings.
Kohli’s side was desperate to halt the charge from Chennai when fast bowler Corey Anderson came into the attack.
But in his over-eagerness to claim a wicket, Kohli let emotions dictate his decision to send an LBW shout on Ambati Rayudu upstairs, when the ball looked to be clearly missing everything.
Replays backed up what seemed obvious with ball-tracking showing the delivery hitting high on the pads and bouncing well wide of the stumps.
Kohli’s pain was compounded by a record-breaking contribution from Rayudu and veteran MS Dhoni, who masterfully steered Chennai home.
Rayudu hit eight sixes in his 82 as Chennai passed Bangalore’s 205 for eight with two balls to spare.
Dhoni smashed the ball into the crowd seven times – including to seal the winning runs – in a match that racked up a record number of Indian Premier League sixes and saw the Super Kings go top of the table.
Dhoni hit New Zealander Anderson over long on for six to claim the brilliant victory.
The two sides hit 33 sixes in all — 17 for Chennai — in the dramatic game, beating the 31 in one IPL game set by Chennai and Kolkata Knight Riders earier this month, and Delhi Daredevils and Gujarat Lions in 2017.
“I thought it was a difficult chase when I saw AB de Villiers batting to see them over 200, I thougt it was 15-20 beyond par,” Dhoni commented after.
“We also lost some key batsmen early but it’s a small ground, the ball travels a lot here.”
The win took Dhoni’s side, returning to the IPL after a two year corruption ban, to the top of the IPL table with five wins from six games.
Kohli’s Bangalore are in a slump with just two wins and the IPL season now half gone.
Kohli will need to study his tactics after his batsmen delivered — South Africans Quinton De Kock (53) and AB de Villiers (68) plundered 103 for the second wicket in under nine overs — but his bowlers failed.
Chasing a huge total in their 20 overs, Chennai lost Australian opener Shane Watson with just eight runs scored and then felll to to 74-4 before a 101-run partnership between Rayudu and Dhoni turned the game.
Rayudu was dismissed in the 18th over but Dhoni saw his side home.
With agencies
