Anil Kumble takes dig at Virat Kohli for skipping domestic cricket after baffling full-toss dismissal: 'If he feels...'

Anil Kumble takes dig at Virat Kohli for skipping domestic cricket after baffling full-toss dismissal

It is very rare to see India being outplayed in cricket but the ongoing Test series against New Zealand has been exactly the same. The team endured a tough 8-wicket loss in the series opener, which featured 46 all-out in the first innings. The story has not been very different in the second clash, which is underway in Pune. The batting flaws were once again exposed as Mitchell Santner ran riot on the second day of the match.

Santner scalped seven out of the ten wickets as India were folded for 156 in the first innings, handing New Zealand a healthy 103-run lead. Unlike the first innings in Bengaluru, which saw five batters getting dismissed for ducks, here the batters did get a start but failed to capitalise on it. Ravindra Jadeja's 38 was the highest and Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill scored 30 each before getting out.

However, senior pros Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli had a forgettable outing, with the skipper getting out without troubling the scorers and the latter managed 1. But what was even more amusing was the manner in which Kohli was dismissed. The right-handed batter was outdone by a full-toss by Santner, which angled towards him and passed under his bat before hitting the middle and leg stumps.

IND vs NZ: India stare at 1st home series defeat in 12 years after Tom Latham’s 86 and Mitchell Santner’s 7-53

Analysing Kohli's baffling dismissal, former India spinner Anil Kumble didn't hesitate from showing Kohli a mirror. The ex-cricketer felt that Kohli could have prepared well for the long Test calendar by making himself available for the domestic matches. Kohli and Rohit were not part of the Duleep Trophy, a red ball tournament, which was played just before India commenced its lengthy Test calendar. However, Kumble also mentioned that it isn't the only reason behind Kohli's failure.

"Perhaps just one or two innings in a match situation could have helped. Being in an actual game is definitely more beneficial than just practice. It gives an upper hand. If he feels that playing earlier would have benefited him, and the team management agrees, then maybe it would have. However, I don't think we can look at that as the only reason for his struggles against spin."

It's not unknown that Kohli has struggled against spinners in the past few years. The tweakers have dismissed him 21 times in the last 26 innings played over last three years on Asian soil. During the period, Kohli scored 606 runs at an average of 28.85. Out of the 21 dismissals, 10 have been against left arm spinners, against whom he averages 27.10.

Analysing Kohli's struggles against spin Kumble added: "When he comes to the crease, the pitches have often favored spin, which is a significant factor. His challenges against spin at the start of his innings haven't been solely due to mindset but also conditions that aided spinners. This contributed to the dismissals of Shubman Gill and Virat Kohli to the left-arm spin of Glenn Phillips, who was brought on as a strategic move. Even the best modern-day batters find these situations tricky," Kumble added.

Kohli will get a second chance in the match with India having a mountain to scale. New Zealand finished Day 2 at 198/5 and have swelled their lead to 301 runs and is heading towards imposing a challenging target for the hosts.