Following his underwhelming scores in the first Test against Bangladesh, Virat Kohli‘s ongoing struggles have surfaced in India‘s practice sessions as well. On the eve of the second Test in Kanpur, the Indian batting maestro found himself at the receiving end of some impressive bowling from Jamshed Alam, a 22-year-old fast bowler from Lucknow, who bowled at speeds around 135 kmph. Alam, part of the net bowling squad, dismissed Kohli not once but twice, making it a day to remember.

Net bowler opens up on his exchange with Virat Kohli

As Alam was savoring his once-in-a-lifetime achievement of dismissing Kohli, the moment became even more special when Kohli himself acknowledged how well the ball was bowled. The young pacer from Lucknow, understandably thrilled, later shared details of his memorable interaction with the former Indian captain. Alam revealed that he bowled 24 deliveries to Kohli at a pace of around 135 kmph and managed to dismiss him twice during the session. After the net practice, Kohli asked Alam his age and complimented his bowling.

“I bowled 24 balls to Virat Kohli. My speed was around 135 kmph, and I got him out twice. The practice pitch was favoring pacers, even though the Kanpur pitch usually assists spinners. Virat Kohli told me, ‘Well bowled bhai, kitne saal ke ho?’ (How old are you?). I told him I am 22. He replied, mehnat karte raho (keep working hard). I’m over the moon after dismissing him.” Alam was quoted as saying by the Hindustan Times.

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India opts to bowl first in rain-delayed Kanpur Test against Bangladesh

Meanwhile, the second Test in Kanpur got underway after a one-hour rain delay, with India winning the toss and choosing to bowl first. India, coming off a dominant 280-run victory in the first Test, maintained their winning combination by retaining the same playing XI as the opening match. Despite calls for the inclusion of local boy, Kuldeep Yadav, he was once again left out, as the team management opted to stick with the players who had delivered a comprehensive performance in the previous match.

With the series on the line, India will aim to win the two-match contest, while Bangladesh will look to bounce back and level the series. The conditions in Kanpur, coupled with India’s decision to bowl first, are expected to offer some early assistance to the pacers, setting the stage for an intriguing battle on Day 1.

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