Page 49 - The Indian EYE 022522

SpORTS FEBRUARY 25, 2022 | The Indian Eye 49

Virat Kohli plays a shot during the first T20 match between India and West Indies, at Eden West Indies Nicholas Pooran plays a shot during the first T20 match between India and West
Gardens in Kolkata on Wednesday. (ANI Photo) Indies, at Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Wednesday. (ANI Photo)

With this win, India has got a back to the dug out in the 14th over Then it was Odean Smith, who Alzarri Joseph and Hayden
clean sweep in the series with 3-0 with only 68 runs on the board. Ja- came to crease and played a knock of Walsh joined hands to stitch a good
lead, after clinching victory in the first son Holder was also dismissed for 36 runs in just 18 balls and brought partnership but their efforts went
two matches. “Definitely not looking only six runs by the pacer. Kuldeep some hopes for West Indies. But, their in vain after Siraj struck again and
at those numbers (captaincy record). Yadav also scalped two wickets and happiness was short-lived as he got scalped Walsh’s wicket. Then, Krish-
Have ticked a lot of boxes in this se- dismissed Pooran and Fabian Allen caught by Shikhar Dhawan on Siraj’s na put the last nail on the coffin and
ries. Whatever we wanted to get out on 34 and zero, respectively. delivery, with the team’s total at 122/8. sent Joseph back and dismantled the
of this series, we pretty much got. visitors at 169/10, to register a victory
Noise will be around as long as we’re by 96 runs.
playing. People look up to us, every-
body watches us. As players, as indi- saBa KaRIM BacKs VIRat
viduals, we know what we need to fo- KohlI desPIte FaIlURe In odI
cus on. Outside noise doesn’t bother
the dressing room. Said it in the last seRIes
game as well - never seen something Virat Kohli has been a pale
like that in India (Prasidh’s spell). shadow of his old self with the bat in
Good to have someone who can hit the 3-match ODI series against the
the deck and get that bounce,” said West Indies. The former India cap-
Rohit after the game. tain could only score 8, 18 and a duck
“Although I didn’t feel like this in the ODI series but former India
was Indian conditions, was good to wicket-keeper batter Saba Karim has
see the fast bowlers actually. Was come to the defence of the talisman.
also impressed with Siraj. And then “Everyone is talking about @im-
Shardul and Deepak did the job for Vkohli poor form. But I don’t think
us. Both Kuldeep and Chahal are it’s time to press the panic button.
crucial players for us. Especially The slump in form is part and par-
Kuldeep. Chahal was very much in cel of the game. Even greats like @
the plans and Kuldeep went off the sachin_rt and Gavaskar had to deal
radar. It was important to get him with the challenges of high expec-
back slowly. Important to give them tations. This too shall pass! #IND-
that confidence. We start expecting vWI” tweeted former India wick-
things early than expected, import- et-keeper Saba Karim. Virat Kohli
ant to give them some cushion. Pret- has managed to score only 26 runs in
ty sure we’ll see them together soon,” three innings at an average of 8.66.
he added. From the year 2020 till now Virat has
Chasing 267, the visitors began played 18 ODIs scoring 702 runs at
with a pathetic start as opener Shai an average of 39 with 9 half-centu-
Hope had to depart after getting ries and no centuries. The talisman’s
LBW by Mohammed Siraj for just 5 last international ton across formats
runs, leaving the team’s total at 19/1. came in a Test match on 23rd No-
It was followed by Brandon King and vember 2019 against Bangladesh at
Shamarh Brooks’ dismissal by Deep- the Eden Gardens in Kolkata.
ak Chahar at 25/3 in the fifth over. Virat Kohli’s lean patch is not
Later, Darren Bravo joined skip- unusual as many great players in the
per Nicholas Pooran and the duo Ravi Bishnoi celebrates the dismissal of West Indies Roston Chase during the first T20 match past have gone through it and former
tried to get some runs for their side, between India and West Indies, at Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Wednesday. (ANI Photo) cricketer Saba Karim is backing him
but Krishna Prasidh sent the former to come out of it sooner than later.

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