Virat Kohli’s return to Test cricket after a brief hiatus was cut short on Day 1 of the first Test against Bangladesh in Chennai. The star batter, who walked into the Chepauk amid thunderous applause, lasted only six deliveries before succumbing to a familiar failing.
Bangladesh pacer Hasan Mahmud, who had already dismissed Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill, delivered a short-of-length ball outside off stump. Kohli, eager to get his innings going, attempted an expansive drive but only managed to edge the ball to wicketkeeper Litton Das.
This dismissal marked yet another instance of Kohli falling prey to a drive outside off stump. Former Bangladesh captain Tamim Iqbal, who was on commentary duty, remarked that the dismissal made the analyst look like a magician.
“Virat’s coming back to Test cricket after a while, so he wants to build back by feeling the ball. It happens to everyone. We have all played the game. We understand that, at times, you want to feel the ball. And I think that particular area where he got out, he has been dismissed a lot of times. This was a dismissal that makes the analyst look like a magician. It was definitely a very well-planned delivery, and Virat fell for it,” Tamim said during the lunch break.
Kohli’s dismissal left India reeling at 3/3. However, Mayank Agarwal (42) and Hanuma Vihari (30) steadied the innings with a 60-run partnership. Agarwal was eventually dismissed by Mahmud, while Vihari fell to Taijul Islam.
Ravindra Jadeja (7) and Ravichandran Ashwin (21) were at the crease at tea, with India reaching 176/6. Despite the early setbacks, India’s batting effort was perplexing, as neither the pitch nor the bowlers posed any significant challenges.
The home side batters simply failed to capitalize on the opportunities presented to them, with their dismissals appearing more the result of lapses in concentration. The departures of Jaiswal and Rishabh Pant (39), who added 62 runs for the fourth wicket, highlighted this issue.
