Virat Kohli Has Been Pressurizing And Disrespecting The Umpires Throughout The Tour: David Lloyd

Updated - 24 Mar 2021, 01:04 PM

Virat Kohli
Virat Kohli. Image-Wisden

Former England cricketer and renowned commentator David Lloyd has come down hard on Virat Kohli for his disrespectful behaviour towards the umpires. Indian captain Virat Kohli has spoken his heart out throughout England’s ongoing tour of India on umpiring and pitch issues. But David Lloyd believes that the 32-year old has disrespecting and pressuring the umpires every chance he gets.

Virat Kohli recently raised questions on the soft signal rule following Dawid Malan’s low catch to dismiss Suryakumar Yadav in the fourth T20 international. The cricketing fraternity criticized the soft signal rule as they opined that Malan’s hands were not entirely underneath the ball and the batsman had to walk back unfairly. Kohli suggested that the law must be eradicated and instead, an ‘I don’t know’ signal should be there.

Dawid Malan takes a dubious catch of Suryakumar Yadav (Photo-Screengrab)

David Lloyd accused Virat Kohli that he suggested England pressurized the umpires to give the ‘soft signal’ as out when Dawid Malan grabbed a low catch in the fourth T20I. The renowned commentator stated that the umpire’s call rule is to give as much authority to the umpires and conceded that the Indian captain has constantly been disrespecting and remonstrating the officials throughout the tour.

“Virat Kohli also suggested England were pressuring umpires to give the ‘soft signal’ as out when Dawid Malan took a low catch in the fourth T20. Firstly, the soft signal is there to leave as much authority as possible with the on-field umpires. And I don’t know if England put pressure on Nitin Menon in Ahmedabad, but I do know one thing — Kohli has been pressuring, disrespecting and remonstrating with umpires throughout this tour,” David Lloyd wrote in his column for Daily Mail.

David Lloyd backs the umpire’s call rule:

David Lloyd
David Lloyd. Image Credits: Twitter

The 74-year old further said that umpire’s call rule must be present since all the Tests would be over if adjudged out even when the ball only clips the bails marginally. Lloyd believes that accurate bowlers like Josh Hazlewood, Jasprit Bumrah, and James Anderson would be having eight wickets under their belt in every Test if they abolished the umpire’s call rule.

“Kohli does not seem to have taken the consequences into account. If everything is out, including when the ball is just clipping the bails, then all Tests would be over in two days. An ODI would be over in four hours. Bowlers known for their accuracy like Jimmy Anderson, Josh Hazlewood and Jasprit Bumrah would be taking eight wickets every innings,” he added.

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India vs England 2021 Virat Kohli