Indian Skipper Virat Kohli congratulated New Zealand wicket-keeper batsman BJ Watling on his final day in International cricket. BJ Watling has announced his retirement from cricket after the conclusion of the ICC World Test Championship final 2021 which is being played at Southampton between India and West Indies.
Before the first ball on the reserve day, Virat Kohli, in a nice gesture, walked towards BJ Watling and shook hands with him to congratulate and wish him well for the future. Kohli’s gesture has earned him a lot of praise on social media.
The Twitter handle of the International Cricket Council (ICC), tweeted a video:
Virat Kohli 🤝 BJ Watling
A nice gesture from the Indian skipper congratulating the @BLACKCAPS wicket-keeper on the final day of his international career 🙌#WTC21 Final | #INDvNZ | #SpiritOfCricket pic.twitter.com/zcI47UFPAp
— ICC (@ICC) June 23, 2021
BJ Watling made his International debut in 2009 when he kept wickets for New Zealand in the first Twenty20 International match in Dubai against Pakistan. He is New Zealand’s second most capped Test wicket-keeper (74) after Adam Parore (78) and holds the record of most dismissals (270) by a wicket-keeper batsman for New Zealand.
He is also the first wicket-keeper-batsman to score a double hundred for New Zealand in Test matches. With over 3700 runs in 74 matches at an average of 37.89, Watling has been a consistent performer for New Zealand over the years in Test matches.
On the final day of the WTC final, BJ Watling led his team onto the field as the rest of the New Zealand players were clapping as Watling donned the wicket keeping gloves for the last time in International Cricket. A World Championship win for New Zealand will be the perfect farewell gift for the wicket-keeper batsman.
India in trouble on Day 6
New Zealand will be a happy side going into the Lunch break in the ICC World Test Championship final as India are positioned at 130/5 with a lead of 98 runs. Kyle Jamieson has again been the bowler of the day for New Zealand as he dismissed Cheteshwar Pujara and Indian skipper, Virat Kohli, cheaply. India’s fortunes in this final are dependent on Rishabh Pant’s and Ravindra Jadeja’s partnership in the second session.
