Virat Kohli has lamented a 45-minute batting collapse that helped end India’s Cricket World Cup campaign.
India captain Virat Kohli has lamented a spell of pedestrian cricket inside 45 minutes that helped end their Cricket World Cup campaign against New Zealand in Manchester.
Kohli’s men topped the group stage and wrested the No.1 ranking from England before their last four clash with 2015 finalists New Zealand.
Defending 8-239, Matt Henry and Trent Boult blew away India’s star-studded top order that included Kohli and Rohit Sharma, the tournament’s leading scorer, to reduce them to 3-5 inside four overs.
Ravindra Jadeja mounted an audacious rearguard action but India could not recover after slumping to 4-24 after the first powerplay.
“Of course, very disappointed,” a glum Kohli told a news conference.
“We’ve played outstanding cricket throughout this tournament. To just go out on the basis of 45 minutes of bad cricket is saddening.
“It breaks your heart also, because you worked so hard throughout the tournament to build momentum.
“You finish No.1 in the table, and then a spell of bad cricket and you’re out of the tournament. But you have to accept it.”
After the top order imploded, Rishabh Pant and Hardik Pandya tried to arrest the free-fall before both played reckless shots to throw away their wickets.
Kohli conceded their shot selection could have been better though he refused to blame 21-year-old Pant, who was playing only his ninth one-day international.
“Look, he’s an instinctive player. And he did well to overcome that situation and string in a partnership with Hardik,” Kohli said.
“He’s still young. I made many, many errors when I was young in my career, and he will learn. He will look back and think yes, he could have chosen a different option in that situation, maybe and he realises that already.”
India suffered their only group stage defeat against hosts England, who meet Australia in the second semi-final in Birmingham on Thursday.
Kohli said the team would emerge stronger from the setback.
“It’s happened to us before and we have all come out better cricketers because of the setbacks, especially at a stage like World Cup,” he added.
“But having said that, we have qualified to the semis and have played some really good cricket. So we should be also proud of the way we played.”
yeah-nah
Roar Rookie
It didn't come across like that to me. I thought he was gracious and complimentary to NZ in the after match speech. He was obviously and naturally very disappointed with himself and for his team. It'll be the same for the loser of the next semi and the losing team in the final.
AREH
Roar Guru
They make themselves so likeable. You can play tough, fighting cricket without being a bunch of arrogant so and so's.
DaveJ
Roar Rookie
I meant Kohli, you’ll be surprised to learn. Yep no luck with Guptill run out, looked like he was aiming to hit, not throwing to the guy at the stumps.
sandpaper
Roar Rookie
hope kiwis fly over sandpaper army in the finals
DMC
Guest
G'day Ronan, I thought Dhoni played wonderfully up until about 5 overs to ago. At that point they had wickets in hand and he needed to up his run-scoring ante to match Jadeja's. The run-rate quickly got out of control and even if he wasn't run-out in the 49th, they would still have needed at least 18, maybe 20+ off the last over which is possible but very unlikely. See you for a rematch on Sunday!
Dmc
Guest
Ronan is far too polite. If you don't like Kohli then fine. But the guy was incredibly gracious in defeat and emphasised NZ's performance numerous times, especially that of the opening bowlers.
U
Roar Rookie
Their chances were a bit wild and woolly but they conquered
Paul
Roar Guru
Fair enough Ronan, though again, I question whether it was 45 minutes of bad cricket or 2 days. India had by far the best of the conditions, with an interrupted New Zealand innings, played on a brand new pitch, but the Kiwis still managed to come up with a defendable score. They then had more than one opportunity after an obviously poor start, to really get things moving but Dhoni in 2019 is not Dhoni of even 2 or 3 years ago, but thinks he is. The chase should have been on well before Jadeja started to hit out and Kohli, as skipper has to accept some responsibility, if he did not instruct his guys to go for the runs at an earlier stage than the 31st over. As it stands, Santner was allowed to bowl a spell that strangled the innings, Dhoni got out leaving too big a chase ( as the NZ commentators suggested he could) and the game was done - but it was probably the worst GAME the Indians played, not the worst 45 minutes.
Riccardo
Roar Rookie
Fair enough mate. Thought that stat where, of 51 innings where he batted through, India won 47 was impressive. I might argue that the Black Caps' bowling and fielding hindered him and Pandya but Jadeja's heroics sort of argues your point too. Similar to the pressure Taylor put on Williamson in their innings I guess. Good luck tonight...
deepoz
Roar Rookie
Agree with Ronan. I watched it fully. There were quite a few half volleys or pitched-up balls that Dhoni could only pat back to one of the two close-in fielders on the off side. In his hey days, he would have placed them easily between them and rotated the strike. There were plenty of opportunities to keep the score ticking when he came in. He has lost the touch, sadly.
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
Best not to take one isolated comment out of context Paul. If you had watched Kohli's full interview you would know he was very gracious and very complimentary of NZ's performance as a whole, he never tried to detract from their effort. He's just being honest that he rues the fact India played so well the whole tournament but then got knocked out based on 45 minutes of cricket, which was the truth.
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
I can't agree Riccardo. I watched every ball from the 37th over to the end and there was an 11 over period up until the 48th over where Dhoni did nothing but nudge singles - every single ball his stance and backlift was set up purely to nudge singles. As a result he missed out on any number of deliveries that were in his hitting zones because he had seemingly closed his mind to the idea of scoring boundaries. This meant that for that long period the sole responsibility for hitting boundaries was on Jadeja's shoulders. Dhoni could have played safe but still been looking to punish the loose balls, instead he just decided to nurdle every single delivery he got and leave all the attacking to Jadeja. As a result the run rate got out of hand and the pressure ratcheted up on Jadeja to keep manufacturing boundaries from decent balls.
Riccardo
Roar Rookie
He has slowed Ronan. But it was a measured response and if he didn't go out I'm confident he would have made it. That cut for 6 off the front was a helluva cricket shot too...
Paul
Roar Guru
"Paul don’t forget KWs and RTs measured batting playing to the pitch conditions." Sorry, I'm not sure what you mean with this comment, TT?
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
Holding back Dhoni so long was a poor decision, his only real strength as a batsman these days is his ability to stick to the crease and guard his wicket, which makes him the perfect batsman to come in at 2 for 5. The likes of Pant and Pandya are instinctive ball strikers, they should have been held back for the final assault.
Paul
Roar Guru
I am responding to this piece, Deepak which is India centered.
Paul
Roar Guru
Yes I did but this was a totally different interview where he only had to make one acknowledgement about the Kiwis to justify all the remarks about India. Just as that other interview made him appear gracious, this one did not.
Ben
Guest
Lol. Rubbish DaveJ. There was no luck in Dhonis dismissal. He was runout by some brilliant Guptill fielding. LBW!! What game were you watching?
Spanner
Roar Rookie
True Bobbo - it's one thing to be a star in a team of stars and quite another to be the only star and pick your team up and carry them. The difference between the 2 skippers approach to batting in a pressure situation was highlighted, for me, by Virat's airy swipe across the line to the 2nd or 3rd ball he faced. Williamson would have left it. Well played the Kiwis - bravo !
DaveJ
Roar Rookie
NZ bowled really well. Don’t think India’s top order played that badly, a couple of balls seemed away and took the edge, on another day it’s a play and miss. Dhoni got out to an lbw to a ball that hit above the knee roll, which used to be a rule of thumb for too high, going over the stumps. So a tiny bit unlucky to be given out, though on the other hand he looked edgy and his was the least forgivable shot, in the top order as the one coming back in from Boult is always the one to prepare for. But Dhoni left too much of the heavy lifting in the back end to Jadeja. Santner 1/7 after 6 overs!!