Chronicle EditorMUMBAI. — Virat Kohli adopted an uncharacteristic role as peacemaker yesterday when the India captain acted to pacify an angry exchange between off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin and England paceman James Anderson on the final day of the fourth Test cricket.The incident occurred when England number 11 Anderson walked out to bat and was greeted by a volley of angry words by Ashwin, whose views were echoed by his teammates in the innings and 36 runs victory for the hosts.
Ashwin appeared irked by Anderson’s comments on Sunday that Kohli’s technique was not being thoroughly tested on the docile pitches in India after he hit 235 at the Wankhede Stadium for his third double hundred of 2016. England’s record wicket-taker in tests dismissed Kohli four times during India’s tour of England in 2014 but the batsman has flayed Anderson and his bowling partners this time, already amassing 640 runs in the ongoing series at an average of 128.
“For the first time I was trying to calm things down in the middle at a time when James Anderson is involved,” a grinning Kohli, who is often very demonstrative on the field, told reporters after India moved 3-0 ahead in the five-match series.
“Ashwin wasn’t pleased with what he (Anderson) said in the Press and I didn’t even know about it. He told me on the ground,” Kohli said. — Reuters.
Online Reporter