The first Test of the Border Gavaskar Trophy 2022-23 got underway at the VCA Stadium in Nagpur on Thursday. Australia opted to bat first but the Indian bowling attack led by Ravindra Jadeja spoiled the visiting team’s party, bowling them out for just 177. Jadeja took five wickets in the first inning while veteran spinner R Ashwin bagged three wickets. Mohammed Shami and Mohammed Siraj, meanwhile, got a wicket each.
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Axar Patel, the third spinner went wicketless in the first inning. However, he too could have got one and that too of Steve Smith had Virat Kohli taken the catch at first slip. Patel almost trapped Smith as the Aussie batter went for an expensive drive. The ball flew quickly off Smith’s outside edge towards Kohli who was taken by surprise and failed to latch on to the ball.
This was not the only occasion of Kohli dropping a catch which could have been taken if someone else was there. In the second session of Day 1, Peter Handscomb edged one against Jadeja and the ball went towards Kohli after hitting KS Bharat’s gloves. The former India captain was yet again a tad late in his reaction and it was then Mark Waugh pointed out the issue with Kohli’s technique.
Although Kohli’s reactions suggested that it was an impossible catch, Mark Waugh felt that the Indian was not alert enough. The former Australian, who was himself an exceptional slip fielder, suggested that Kohli’s technique is not ideal for a slip fielder as he stands too upright.
“Your legs have to be lot closer to be able to move quickly” Waugh would go on to say. “Kohli was very high-up in his position. Should have stayed down a bit,” he offered. “He should have done a little bit better. Almost as if he wasn’t expecting it. He is just not in the game. He should expect a catch coming his way every ball."