Team India once again find themselves in a precarious situation at the ongoing fourth Test against Australia in Melbourne. India were reeling at 164/5 at Stumps on Day 2 in response to Australia's mammoth first innings total of 474 and all eyes will once again be on avoiding the follow-on when action resumes on Saturday.
However, this wasn't the case until the final half an hour of play was left on Day 2. The visitors looked settled with Yashasvi Jaiswal and Virat Kohli leading India's charge but things took a drastic turn after a horrible mix-up between the two when India were batting at 153/2.
Jaiswal, who was then batting on 82 tried to steal a quick single after gently pushing the ball towards Pat Cummins towards mid-on. However, Kohli was unprepared and kept looking behind while Jaiswal had almost reached the non-striker's end, allowing Australia an easy opportunity to inflict a run-out, which they did. Following the dismissal India lost Virat Kohli and night watchman Akash Deep in the span of six runs, leaving the remaining batters with a mountain to climb.
While this was not end to the drama, as former India cricketers Sanjay Manjrekar and Irfan Pathan took it to another level while discussing the same on Star Sports, the official broadcaster of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. The duo got into a heated argument discussing who was the one at fault between the two, with Manjrekar pointing fingers at Kohli.
Here is how the conversation went between the two experts, the video of which has gone viral on social media...
Manjrekar: "At the other end was Virat Kohli and we tend to think a little more from his side. It was a schoolboy error from Kohli to look behind and decide that there was no run. The call is not for the non-striker to make. It always belongs to the batter who has played the ball. If Jaiswal had made a bad call then he would have suffered because Cummins would have gone for the non-striker end. But since Kohli said no, Yashasvi had no chance. This is what my take on the matter is."
Pathan: "There is another truth of cricket that if the ball is played at point, the non-striker is the one to make a call. And the stiker is at full liberty to turn it down. He can also say no sometimes."
Manjrekar: "But Irfan, here you are talking about point…"
After this point, all hell broke loose as neither Pathan or Manjrekar could come to any mutual agreement over whose mistake it actually was. Manjrekar also took a dig at Pathan and said: "If you don't want to listen, there isn't much left here. I think the time has come for a new coaching manual to be released, which will have Irfan Pathan's version of running between the wicket."
Discover the latest Business News, Sensex, and Nifty updates. Obtain Personal Finance insights, tax queries, and expert opinions on Moneycontrol or download the Moneycontrol App to stay updated!
