'I just don’t think Virat Kohli is showing Adam Zampa enough respect' - Steve Waugh

The Indian team didn’t have a very good day against Australia at the Wankhede Stadium on January 14, 2020 when the two teams met for the first ODI of the three-match series. The encounter was a much anticipated one, especially after the visitors had defeated the home side 3-2 when they last played in India in ODIs.

The Australia team was clinical in their execution with both the bat and the ball as the Men in Blue had no answers to their disciplined bowling and top-class batting. The Indian batsmen just couldn’t get going against some good line and length bowling by Australia pacers, who quickly adapted to the no swing environment and relied on pace and variations in length. Virat Kohli’s idea of tinkering with his batting lineup didn’t help the Indian cause much.

Virat Kohli demoted himself to No.4 position in first ODI

Kohli demoted himself to No.4 in order to accommodate both Dhawan and Rahul in the playing XI. After the duo had stitched an important 121-run partnership, despite a slow start in the powerplay, Kohli came in at the fall of Rahul’s wicket for 47 runs and started hitting the ball from the word go. However, it was the leg-spinner Adam Zampa who got his wicket, as Kohli played early to a full ball and flicked it back to the bowler who was delighted with an easy return catch.

Australian legend Steve Waugh blamed Kohli for throwing away his wicket for 16 runs as he felt he didn’t show the leggie any respect. “I just don’t think he’s showing Zampa enough respect and he paid the price,” said Steve Waugh while commentating for Fox Sports. Zampa had dismissed Kohli for the fourth time in the ODI format- the same number of times along with Suraj Randiv and Graeme Swann.

However, on the other hand, Kohli was all praises for the Australian leg-spinner and felt that Zampa had shown the most belief than any other since the last tour.

“He was probably one bowler, who had more belief than others (on the 2019 tour) I felt. Throughout the game, even when he was hit for boundaries, he kept coming at the batsmen and try and get them out, which I think is important for a wrist-spinner. And his mindset was a stand out for them in the last series,” Kohli was quoted as saying by India Today before the series began.

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