ENG vs IND: Virat Kohli walks off being adjudged out, Ajinkya Rahane saves him by insisting for review

Following the 151-run victory at Lord’s, India suffered a humiliating defeat against England at Headingley, losing the third Test of the five-match series by a whopping margin of an innings and 76 runs. In a rather forgettable encounter, hardly anything went India’s way keeping aside the toss and a hope-raising rearguard by senior batters Virat Kohli and Cheteshwar Pujara on Day 3 in the face of adversity.

Having been tumbled out for a paltry 78 in the first innings, India continued to play perennial catchup, with England managing a more-than-comprehensive and series-levelling victory at a venue where India had last played a Test in 2002.

Going into the fourth day with still 139 runs in the red, India fell like a pack of cards, going down to 278 all-out after resuming 215/2 overnight. India’s rut started early, with Cheteshwar Pujara getting trapped lbw by Ollie Robinson to fall nine short of what would have been his first century after the fateful 2018-19 Border-Gavaskar series.

Ajinkya Rahane saves Virat Kohli

Meanwhile, in a rather interesting and unusual instance shortly after Indian No.3’s dismissal, skipper Kohli started walking back under the impression of having nicked a James Anderson delivery, only for a review on Ajinkya Rahane’s insistence to save him. In the 87th over of the Indian innings, Anderson delivered a fuller delivery to Kohli, who attempted a drive before missing to make any contact whatsoever.

However, a noise as the ball went past the outside edge led the England camp to appeal vociferously, with umpire Alex Wharf raising his finger. Without much thought, Kohli, who was batting at 46 then, started to walk back. Although his deputy Rahane urged him to review the on-field decision, which eventually turned out to be a brilliant decision as the UltraEdge revealed the bat clipping the pad and clear daylight between the outside edge and ball.

Kohli, though, could not materialize the life much as he fell in the much-dreaded fashion soon after: nicking a delivery pitched in outside-the-off-stump channel, this time off Robinson, to be caught by Joe Root at first slip. Thereafter, it did not take too long for England to wrap India up and ensure they go to the Oval with the series poised.

#indiavsEngland
Power of review #ViratKohli pic.twitter.com/7G9lkWTPB2

— Rahul kumar # (@Rahulku67708154) August 28, 2021