Disappointed Gavaskar issues huge warning to Kohli after poor outing in 1st ODI

Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar issued a huge warning to Virat Kohli after his poor show in the opening match of the three match series against West Indies on Sunday in Ahmedabad where he scored only 8 off 4.

Kohli was welcomed with an array of short-pitched deliveries from Alzarri Joseph. He hit the first two for boundaries which helped him reach the milestone of 500 ODI runs at home and mistimed the fourth delivery in his attempt to pull it over the fine-leg fence as the top edge found the fielder in the deep, ending his aggressive approach to the innings at 8 off 4.

Dissecting the dismissal at the end of India’s six-wicket victory at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Gavaskar, in conversation with Star Sports, admitted that even the South Africa bowlers wanted to pull off the same strategy against Kohli during the ODI series last month.

Gavaskar feels that with Kohli not wanting to duck or leave the shorter deliveries and go for the hook shot, the bowlers are more tentative to dish out the variety against the veteran batter. He then warned Kohli to be wary of such deliveries in the remaining two matches of the series.

“I though that even the South Africans seemed to be looking to do in one-day cricket maybe not so much in Test cricket, to try and bounce Virat Kohli. Because he is one of those batsman who does not really duck. He loves to play the hook shot, which is one where you cannot really be in control,” he said.

“In this instance he does not get it right. He picked the ball which bounced a little bit more and then he anticipated so it wasn’t quite of the middle of the bat. It went off the edge and the catch was taken. So I feel he should be prepared to face a little bit more in the remaining matches.”

The second match will be played on February 9 while the final will be on February 11, both at the same venue.