Virat Kohli’s dismissal in the second ODI against England has sparked discussions after the Indian batter reacted in disbelief to the decision shown on the big screen. Kohli, who had missed the series opener in Nagpur due to a sore knee, was dismissed caught behind for 5 runs off 8 balls by England’s leg-spinner Adil Rashid.
The dismissal came after England captain Jos Buttler opted for the Decision Review System (DRS) following the on-field umpire’s rejection of the appeal. The UltraEdge technology detected a spike, leading to Kohli’s dismissal. However, his animated reaction suggested that he did not believe he had edged the ball.
Did Technology Malfunction?
Kohli’s stunned expression after seeing the decision has led to speculation about a possible technical error in UltraEdge. He seemed convinced that the ball had not touched his bat. However, it could have been a faint edge that he didn’t feel at the moment.
Despite Kohli’s reaction, the third umpire upheld the decision based on the technology. This incident has once again raised questions about the accuracy of UltraEdge and DRS, especially in cases where the edge is minimal.
Kohli's Return to the Team
This match marked Kohli’s first appearance for India since the Sydney Test against Australia last month. His availability for the game was confirmed by India’s batting coach Sitanshu Kotak, who stated:
"Virat Kohli is fit to play. He has come for practice and is good to go."
Kohli’s return meant that Yashasvi Jaiswal was left out, while Shreyas Iyer retained his place in the XI after his impressive performance in Nagpur.
Shreyas Iyer’s Unexpected Inclusion in First ODI
Speaking about the first ODI, Shreyas Iyer revealed that he only got to play because Kohli was ruled out last minute due to a knee injury.
"I was watching a movie the night before, thinking I could extend my night. Then I got a call from the skipper saying I might have to play because Virat has a swollen knee," Iyer told Star Sports.
"I hurried back to my room, went to sleep straight away. I wasn’t supposed to play the first game, but I kept myself prepared knowing an opportunity could come at any time," he added.
Reflecting on his luck, Iyer mentioned how a similar situation occurred during the Asia Cup, where he got injured and another player took his spot, scoring a century.
