India captain Virat Kohli shared experience of keeping wickets against Umesh Yadav when MS Dhoni asked him to for two-three overs. It was an ODI against Bangladesh back in 2015. He found it tough to focus on the ball under the lights and wanted to call for a helmet.
Talking to Mayank Agarwal on BCCI.tv, Kohli said he feared that Umesh's delivery would hit him on his jaw. He felt the need for a helmet, but he didn't want to call for it as that would have been embarrassing as he was standing back. Usually, we don't see wicket-keepers wearing a helmet for a pacer.
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“Ask Mahi bhai [Dhoni] about how this happened,” Kohli replied when Agarwal asked him about the story. “He just said, ‘Please keep wickets for two-three overs,’ and that is how it happened. I was keeping wickets and adjusting the field, then I understood that he has a lot on his plate when he is on the field. Because he has to focus every ball on keeping and adjusting the field and everything as well. So it was fun."
Adding more to the story, Virat found out keeping isn't an easy job. “What wasn’t fun was that I took the gloves in the 43rd over and Umesh was bowling gas. The ball had gotten old and it was under lights, I was finding it very tough to pick the ball. I thought it’d hit me on the jaw. I wanted to wear a helmet and stand behind but it would have been embarrassing.
“People would have made fun of me that this guy is even wearing a helmet while keeping to a fast bowler. So I had to really, really focus at that moment. It was funny but it was nice at the same time to do something different.”