Kohli’s run-out in the first innings may favour India in the second

Just when he looked set for a big one, Virat Kohli was done by a mix-up in the middle. However, the skipper restrained from expressing the annoyance mostly associated with a run-out, particularly in Test cricket.

Given this is the only Test he will feature in on this tour, made this even more bitter. But if former India pacer Atul Wassan is to be believed, the run-out is only going to make him hungrier to get a hundred in the 2nd innings.

“I think there this might favour India. Virat Kohli has so much hunger for scoring runs that he might just be more determined to score one in the second innings. If he had got his ton in first innings then his hunger for a hundred might have been satisfied. If India have to win this match then Kohli’s ton in 2nd innings will be more valuable,” Wassan told ABP News.

Wassan also opined that Virat Kohli’s wicket allowed Australia to get back into the game.

“I think the door opened for Australia (after Kohli’s run out). Nobody does it intentionally but the fact is when you drop a catch, you can also lose a match. I’m not saying Rahane did it on purpose, nobody does that but he made two mistakes. The first was to call for the single and then he didn’t calculate that Kohli can take this forward better than him. He returned to his crease instead of sacrificing his wicket,” added Wassan.

With India having already started their second innings with a handy lead, Wassan’s comments do make sense. Kohli will have a lot of time on hand to compensate for the first innings and ensure he puts India in the lead before leaving for India.