Indian cricketer Dinesh Karthik explained the reason why Virat Kohli didn’t enforce the follow-on against New Zealand in the ongoing second Test in Mumbai. Ajaz Patel stole the limelight after he took 10 wickets in the first innings to bowl India out for 325 runs.
A sensational effort was needed to overshadow Ajaz Patel’s heroics and that was what exactly the Indian bowlers did. Mohammad Siraj set the tone for his side and returned with 3 wickets.
The spin trio of R Ashwin, Akshar Patel, and Jayant Yadav took seven wickets between them as hosts bundled out the visitors for just 62 runs, the lowest Test total by any side on Indian soil.
As India bowled out New Zealand for 62 runs, leading by 263 runs, many expected the Indian skipper to enforce follow on on the visitors but this wasn’t the case as hosts' batters came to out bat in the second innings.
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Kohli’s decision to not enforce the follow-on against New Zealand left many fans and pundits with mixed reactions. Some felt India should’ve tried to wrap up the match early, many backed the home side’s decision to not enforce the follow-on.
In an interaction on Cricbuzz, Dinesh Karthik while explaining the reason behind’s India's decision to not enforce follow on, said that the more they’ll bat on the wicket the worse it’ll get and it would be easy for them to roll over the visitors in the second innings.
He admitted that India is way ahead in the game but is trying to rub it in and are making sure that all their bases are covered.
"I get the feeling that you've got to understand that there's obviously a tour of South Africa to follow. If you just this Test match, you won't get extra points if you win in three or four days. I just feel that the more you bat, the worse wicket is going to get.
“So, it will be easier for them (India) to roll over New Zealand in the second innings. Now they have an opportunity to bat, they are way ahead in the game, and have more than enough runs. But they are just trying to rub it in and make sure that all bases are covered,” Dinesh Karthik said.
Karthik pointed out that the Indian team would love to see Cheteshwar Pujara get some runs. He remarked that the hosts will be in no hurry to declare the innings as there are three days left in the game.
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"I am sure that they'd love to see (Cheteshwar) Pujara get some runs, Virat Kohli if he gets an opportunity to bat and score some runs. I think that they will declare and that's bound to happen. It's not about giving the bowlers some rest. I just feel that they are in no hurry to declare with three days left in the game," he said.
Dinesh Karthik further said that India’s decision to not enforce follow-on and bat in the second innings is right as they want to give their batters a hit.
"If the point system said that you'll get more points if you get them all our or enforce follow-on then it would've made more sense. So, I think the decision is right as they want to give their batters a hit," he said.
(Cricbuzz inputs)
