Virat Kohli in action for the Indian cricket team during Cricket World Cup 2023© X (formerly Twitter)
Indian cricket team batter Virat Kohli has been taking part in bowling practices during the ongoing Cricket World Cup 2023 and in the match against Sri Lanka at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, the crowd at one point started urging skipper Rohit Sharma to hand the ball to Kohli. Over the years, Kohli’s bowling action has become a point of discussion between fans all around the world and even head coach Rahul Dravid came up with a brilliant description for the veteran. Dravid was asked about India’s bowling choices in the wake of Hardik Pandya‘s injuries ahead of the match against South Africa on Sunday and he was quick to come up with an interesting answer that included the mention of Kohli.
“We don’t have the option to have a 6th proper bowler but we have a wrong-footed inswinger menace whom we can go back for a few overs – he was close to doing in the last game with the crowd pushing him,” he said in pre-match press conference.
Earlier, Hardik Pandya was ruled out of the ongoing Cricket World Cup 2023 due to an ankle injury, the International Cricket Council confirmed on Saturday.
Hardik twisted his ankle during India’s match against Bangladesh at the MCA Stadium in Pune on October 19. He did not take part in India’s matches against New Zealand, England and Sri Lanka, respectively.
“India’s unbeaten start to the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup has received a massive hit with news that star all-rounder Hardik Pandya has failed to recover from his ankle injury and will miss the remainder of the tournament,” the ICC said in a statement.
ICC’s Event Technical Committee has approved pacer Prasidh Krishna‘s addition to the squad as Hardik’s replacement.
“His place in India’s squad will be taken by Prasidh Krishna, with the inexperienced fast bowler parachuted into the playing group after being approved by the tournament’s Event Technical Committee on Saturday,” ICC’s statement added.
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