David Warner dissects Virat Kohli’s ‘weird’ act during dropped catch of Marnus Labuschagne in Perth Test

Virat Kohli had a topsy-turvy Day 1 as India began their Border-Gavaskar Trophy campaign against Australia in Perth, on Friday. After stand-in captain Jasprit Bumrah won the toss and opted to bat, India had a top-order collapse, with Kohli departing for five off 12 balls.

Then during the Australian innings, Kohli dropped a sitter which would have seen Marnus Labuschagne leave for a second-ball duck. In response to India’s first innings total of 150, Australia were put under immediate pressure, and were at 14/1, and it looked Bumrah would have two wickets in three balls.

The pacer saw debutant Nathan McSweeney trapped lbw for eight, before Labuschagne nicked to first slip off just his second delivery. Kohli was set to complete a regulation catch as Bumrah celebrated but the ball bounced out as the batter braced for the ground, waving the catch away.

David Warner’s analogy of Virat Kohli

Speaking on Fox Cricket, David Warner symphatised with Kohli, and called it a ‘weird one’. He said, “It was a weird one wasn’t it?”

“He had it in his hands and because today we saw it with Mitchell Starc in the Ashes at Lords.

“You catch the ball and as soon as the ball is in your hands, you place it on the ground, it was almost like he was too worried about catching the ball and then putting his hand on the ground and keeping it upright.

“You can see his hands tucked in there. If he goes the other way and the ball is on the ground that is deemed not out, which I think is ridiculous because he has already had control of the ball. But players are now worried about turning the ball back upright so you don’t touch the ground,” he added.

Kohli made up for his mistake, with a regulation catch moments later as Usman Khawaja departed for eight. Australia posted 67/7 in 27 overs at Stumps, with MitchelL Starc (6*) and Alex Carey (19*) remaining unbeaten.