The Guardian: Virat Kohli may have lit the touch-paper on what could prove to be a fiery Test series after the India captain ran out Joe Root on the opening day at Edgbaston and then sent his opposite number packing with a ‘mic drop’ celebration.
It was Root’s own version of the gesture that signed off the one-day series victory by England at Headingley a fortnight ago. Kohli certainly relished offering a repeat when he capitalised on an error by Root and Jonny Bairstow, removing the former for 80 with a smart pick up and throw from the leg side as the pair attempted a second run.
While his accompanying comments may have included some swearing – and the International Cricket Council is cracking down on player behaviour – there appeared to be little evidence by which the match referee, Jeff Crowe, could hand down a disciplinary charge given Kohli’s distance from the stump microphones and on-field officials.
England’s Keaton Jennings looked to play down the incident after stumps – “Everybody is entitled to celebrate how they want to. That’s how he celebrated and that’s cool,” he said – and offered a positive spin on a disappointing day for the host side, with Root’s demise the first of a six‑wicket collapse after tea that saw them close on 285 for nine.
The opener, who made 42 before playing on to Mohammed Shami, said: “There has been a missed opportunity for us but after 88 overs there was still quite a bit of lateral movement. So with [close to] 300 on the board, if we can be relentless when we bowl you don’t actually know what a good score is until both sides have batted.”
On his own dismissal, which came the ball after a pigeon had landed close to the pitch and interrupted proceedings briefly, Jennings said: “I obviously made an error and misjudged the ball and it’s ended up on my stumps.