“He bowled to give the bowlers rest”, says Ashwin on Kohli bowling in tour match

Ashwin on Kohli bowling in tour match: India’s premier off-spinner said that his captain bowled to give others a rest.

During the third day of the ongoing India’s lone practice match against Cricket Australia XI at Sydney, India captain Virat Kohli was seen bowling a couple of overs of his wrong-footed right-arm slow-medium bowling.

It happened during the fag end of the day’s play on a day which didn’t really go as per the visitors’ plan. Starting the day with the news of opening batsman Prithvi Shaw getting ruled out of the first Test, India witnessed their bowlers picking up six wickets in the 98 overs that they bowled during the day.

Kohli bowled the 87th and 89th over of the innings, conceding six runs and causing minimal harm to the batsmen. Watching the sight of Kohli bowling in a practice-match invited numerous satirical takes on India’s desperation for a fast-bowling all-rounder in their playing eleven.

Speaking to the media post the day’s play, India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin disclosed the reason behind Kohli taking the matter in his own hands for a couple of hands. Watch the full video below to hear what Ashwin said about Kohli:

 

While Ashwin’s reasons clear the hysterical doubt with respect to Kohli trying to fill the quota of India’s fourth pacer, it continues to be a factor of worry for India, who haven’t figured out their bowling attack as of now.

With bowling figures of 18-2-67-3, Mohammad Shami was the pick of the Indian bowlers. Apart from him, Ravichandran Ashwin and Umesh Yadav picked up a wicket apiece. India would be hoping for their bowlers to pick the remaining four wickets as soon as possible to give their batsmen a second ahead of the first Test to be played form December 6 at Adelaide.

Read some of the latest Twitter reactions on Kohli’s bowling below: