Indian star batter Virat Kohli equaled an unfortunate record after being dismissed for a duck during Day 2 of the first Test against New Zealand in Bengaluru. Kohli, who has been struggling to regain his form in recent matches, was sent back without scoring by New Zealand’s Will O’Rourke.
O’Rourke bowled a short-of-length delivery that took a faint touch off Kohli’s gloves, and Glenn Phillips made no mistake at leg gully, taking a sharp catch. This marked Kohli’s 38th international duck, tying him with New Zealand pacer Tim Southee for the most ducks by an active cricketer. India captain Rohit Sharma follows close behind with 33 ducks.
India Make Changes Due to Injuries
Earlier in the day, India captain Rohit Sharma opted to bat first after winning the toss in the rain-delayed opening Test. With Shubman Gill ruled out due to neck stiffness, Sarfaraz Khan was brought in to strengthen the batting lineup. Additionally, Kuldeep Yadav was chosen over seamer Akash Deep to give India a third spin option on the Bengaluru pitch. Rohit Sharma explained that Gill was not fully fit for the game, forcing the team to make last-minute changes.
Rain Hampers Opening Day
The first day of the Test match was completely washed out due to continuous rain, leaving both teams frustrated as they had to wait to get the series underway.
Despite the delayed start, the match gained momentum on Day 2, although India’s batting lineup faced some challenges, particularly with Kohli’s early dismissal. The Test series has now become even more critical for India as they look to recover from the loss of key players and the unfavorable conditions.
Virat Kohli has been struggling with the form recently, and will be looking to bounce back in the 2nd innings.
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