XtraTime Web Desk: India skipper Virat Kohli batted brilliantly in the first Test at Edgbaston but former England captain Nasser Hussain feels that Kohli should also be blamed for the 31-run loss of the hosts.
The India skipper registered scored of 149 and 51 in the two innings at Edgbaston but some of the captaincy decisions made by him have not impressed Hussain.
“Kohli was phenomenal in this game. He deserved to be on the winning side for the way he played with the tail. He single-handedly brought India back into the Test match. I do think he should take some of the responsibility for the loss, though,” Hussain told Sky Sports following India’s loss.
“England were 87-7 with Sam Curran and Adil Rashid at the crease and for some reason Ravichandran Ashwin went out of the game for an hour. India lost control then – he needs to look back on his captaincy and say ‘when I’ve got a bloke who averages 19 against left-handers and a 20-year-old left-hander on strike, why did I take him off?” he asked.
The former England skipper instead heaped praise on young Sam Curran for his all-rounder performance to win the match for the hosts.
“He has won England this game. India might say Kohli got 200 runs but who turned this game around? A 20-year-old. It’s a phenomenal achievement. He changed the course of two innings. He came on with India 50-0 and pitched it up, swung it and got four for nothing and he then went in with England 87-7.” he said
“After his first game you thought he was maybe a bits-and-pieces cricketer and wondered whether he was quick enough, could move it enough and if he was a proper batsman. I always used to say ‘pick someone on their character more than what they are showing in county cricket’. He has character in abundance,” Hussain added.