Unplayable delivery? Sunil Gavaskar gives his verdict on Virat Kohli's dismissal in WTC Final to Mitchell Starc

By India Today Sports DeskFormer India captain Sunil Gavaskar said Virat Kohli would have been able to handle the surprise bouncer from Mitchell Starc better had he been willing to play on the backfoot on Day 2 of the World Test Championship final against Australia at the Oval in London.

Quite a few called Mitchell Starc’s delivery to Virat Kohli unplayable, while centurion Steve Smith called it a ‘difficult one’ after the Indian batting star fell for 14 on Day 2 of the summit clash.

Virat Kohli got a good start as he looked solid in the middle after Australia made 469 in their first innings. Kohli, who was carrying the confidence from a productive IPL 2023 season, was leaving deliveries well and pulling off some trademark drives before he got out in the 19th over of the contest.

Starc came around the wicket and bowled an off-cutter that pitched on a shorter length. Kohli was caught by surprise by the sharp bounce as the ball hit his gloves before Smith took a fine catch at second slip. Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting explained that it was a special delivery that Starc was working on in the lead-up to the final.

Kohli was on the front foot after his natural trigger movement and the former captain did not have enough time to drop his wrists and leave the delivery from Starc, according to Gavaskar.

“Off the backfoot,” Sunil Gavaskar told Star Sports when he was asked how could a batter deal with that delivery from Starc.

“You could haveâ€æ look again, today because of the fact that there are only two bouncers per over, most batters are onto the front foot. This means they are not able to get onto the backfoot and give themselves the extra yard where you could have probably let the ball go by dropping your wrists.

“Yes, it was a tough delivery because he was so committed to the front foot that he was not able to withdraw his bat at the last moment. If he had been on the backfoot.

“It looked like an unplayable ball, but if he had been on the backfoot, he would have been able to drop his wrists,” Gavaskar added.

GAVASKAR EXPLAINS TOP-ORDER FAILURE

India got off to a good start, getting to 30 for 0. Shubman Gill and Rohit Sharma gave India a brisk start, sending a message to the Australian fast bowlers, who were raring to go after their batters and gave them a big total on the board.

However, Rohit Sharma was out LBW for 14 in the 6th over following which India’s slide began. Rohit missed a delivery that seamed sharp from opposition captain Pat Cummins.

Shubman Gill and Cheteshwar Pujara were unable to gauge the ball that seamed into them as both of them shouldered arms before seeing their stumps rattled.

“Yes, they could have possibly not had their bats high up in the air. One of the essentials of batting in England is to play the ball as late as possible.

“So, it means, if you are looking to play the ball as late as possible, your bat is nearer to the ball, not up in the air. Because it was up in the air, they allowed the ball to go through. With the bat up in the air, they were not able to bring it down when the ball nipped in,” Gavaskar added.

Ravindra Jadeja and Ajinkya Rahane stitched a 71-run stand to steady India but off-spinner Nathan Lyon sent the all-rounder back just before the close of play.

India headed to Stumps at 151 for 5 with Rahane unbeaten on 29 as the Asian giants still trailed Australia by 318 runs.