- Shamser Khalid
Virat Caught Snacking During Match
Cricket fans around the world have always been fascinated by the behind-the-scenes shenanigans of their favorite players. This time around, Virat Kohli has managed to hog the limelight with his love for food during the ongoing India VS Australia Test series.
The Indian captain has always been a fitness freak, but it seems he can't resist a tasty snack during a cricket match.
Snacking Incident
In the Delhi Test, Kohli was caught on camera getting excited about a food parcel containing 'Chhole Kulche' in the dressing room. Fans and the media went into a frenzy, and even India coach Rahul Dravid was quizzed about the contents of the parcel.
Fast forward to the fourth Test in Ahmedabad and Kohli was caught snacking on what appeared to be a protein/energy bar before the start of the 22nd over to be bowled by Mohammed Shami.
But Kohli wasn't just keeping the snack all to himself. He offered it to his teammate Shreyas Iyer standing next to him at the third slip. After some persuasion, Iyer finally accepted the bar and snuffed it inside his pocket as the match continued. Coincidentally, just two balls later, Shami dismissed Marnus Labuschagne for the second wicket to fall.
What Happened in the Match
Despite Kohli's snacking antics, the match was a fierce battle between India and Australia. The Aussies got off to a good start, but Ravichandran Ashwin and Mohammed Shami managed to square things up for the Indian team. Usman Khawaja was holding the fort for Australia with 27 runs off 94 balls, while skipper Steve Smith was batting on 2 off 17 balls.
Despite Kohli's snack break, Australia's stand-in captain Steve Smith won the toss and opted to bat on what seemed to be the best pitch of the series. India's Ravichandran Ashwin and Mohammed Shami picked up a wicket each, and Australia reached 75/2 at lunch.
Highlights Before the Match
Kohli's love for food was not the only thing that made headlines during the Test match. The Indian captain was also seen standing next to Prime Minister Narendra Modi as the Indian team sang the National Anthem ahead of the start of the Ahmedabad Test. Modi's interaction with Kohli drew the loudest cheer, and Kohli kept the energy up by pumping up the crowd to get behind Team India.
Before the start of the Test match, Kohli was in a jovial mood as he celebrated Holi with his teammates. He was caught on video singing 'Calm Down' and getting colors applied by Rohit Sharma inside the team bus.
Team India's Status
For India, a win in the final red-ball clash against the Aussies could be just what they need to secure their spot in the WTC final, but they'll need to be on top of their game to make it happen. Meanwhile, Australia has already cemented its place in the global red-ball finale and is waiting to see whether they'll be facing off against India or Sri Lanka at the Oval in London.
Although Kohli hasn't been able to score big runs in the ongoing series, with scores of 12, 44, 20, 22, and 13 across the three Test matches, the flamboyant cricketer remains in high spirits and always finds a way to enjoy himself while on the field.
