India turns on Virat Kohli over 'staggering' mistake

Virat Kohli has come under fire from his own countrymen over a call that ‘cost India the second Test’.

A host of Australian cricket greats and fans have criticised Kohli for his antics throughout the series so far, but he’s now copping it from India as well.

The major point of criticism stems from India’s decision not to pick a front-line spinner at Optus Stadium, the first time they’ve ever done that in a Perth Test match.

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The tourists went with four fast bowlers and off-spinning all-rounder Hanuma Vihari after Ravi Ashwin was ruled out with injury.

However Kohli has since revealed Ashwin might not have played even if he was fit.

“Yes, we could have considered that (playing four quicks even if Ashwin was fit),” Kohli said.

“If you see, the rough didn’t have much assistance. It was just the pace on the ball that Lyon bowled that he got the wickets that he got.

“We as a team didn’t want to think that we definitely wanted to consider a spinning option on this pitch, especially having a look at the pitch on day one and how we thought it would play on the first three days, and exactly played out that way.

“We thought a fast bowler is going to be more productive and more helpful for us as a team.”

Indian legend Sunil Gavaskar was dumbfounded by the selection calls, and said captain, coach and support staff should come under scrutiny.

“We have been seeing this — the selection blunders that have been committed since the tour of South Africa,” Gavaskar said on Wednesday.

“It has cost the team because it has lost matches which could’ve been won if the proper selection had been made.

“They have to look at the combination of their team, look at the hole that needs to be plugged and pick the men to.

“If they do that then they can certainly win the next two matches but if they don’t, and that too against this Australian team which does not have Steve Smith or David Warner, then the selectors need to think whether we are getting any benefit from this lot — the captain, coach and support staff.”

And Gavaskar isn’t alone, with a raft of Indian media piling the pressure on Kohli.

‘Staggering’ mistake

A particularly scathing article in the Indian Express has slammed Kohli’s lack of faith in his teammates.

“Kohli doesn’t seem to have the confidence that some of his teammates can extend themselves. It’s a viciously self-fulfilling prophecy — the more you think they can’t do it, they won’t be able to do it,” the article said.

“This lack of confidence in his players has been a recurring theme of Kohli’s captaincy.

“During Kohli’s tenure, every player other than himself has been benched for reasons not solely concerning form.

“Each of them had to grind their way back to regain their spot in the side.

“But not all talented players have such steely resolve. Kohli’s conviction that living on the edge gets the best out of players is, more often than not, flawed.”

The same article felt Kohli’s statement that Ashwin still might not have played if fit was ‘staggering’.

“That’s staggering, to say the least, especially when one considers the quote at the end of the game, after Kohli had seen the behaviour of the track,” it said.

“He quite rightly rates Lyon highly, but one wonders how Ashwin and Jadeja would feel about their captain’s assessment of them. If the two aren’t good enough to bowl overseas, why carry them in the first place? What of Jadeja, who in his previous overseas Test, picked up seven wickets and scored an unbeaten 86?”