Virat Kohli Was Right In Sledging Stuart Broad After The Pacer's Send-Off To Rishabh Pant, Says Virender Sehwag

Former India batsman Virender Sehwag has said Virat Kohli was right to sledge Stuart Broad in the third England vs India Test at Trent Bridge.

On day two of the game, Stuart Broad had given a foul-mouthed send-off to debutant Rishabh Pant after dismissing him. Later, the England pacer was fined 15 per cent of his match fees for breaching Level 1 of the ICC Code of Conduct.

Broad was found to have breached Article 2.1.7 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which relates to “using language, actions or gestures which disparage or which could provoke an aggressive reaction from a batsman upon his/her dismissal during an International Match.”

But Kohli then decided to take the matter in his own hands. When Broad came out to bat in the second innings, Kohli gave him an earful.

Standing in the slip cordon, Kohli could be seen muttering a few words towards Broad.

In reply, a smiling Broad said: “It’s Test cricket and it’ll be aggressive!”

Kohli, however, was having none of it as he retaliated by saying: ” That’s what you get for having a go at the youngster (points out to Pant)”.

And Virender Sehwag feels Kohli was right to give it back to Broad for the unnecessary send-off to Broad.

“Broad has played over 120 Test matches, this was Pant’s first, you’ve dismissed him, you’ve got the wicket, there is no need of sledging. Kohli was right in making him (Broad) understand later on,” Sehwag told IndiaTv.

Sehwag further praised India’s pace department for their performance in the third Test. India collected all 20 wickets at Trent Bridge, with Jasprit Bumrah and all-rounder Hardik Pandya claiming a five-wicket haul each as India won the game by 203 runs.

“I feel India’s current bowling attack is one of the best at the moment. They have four pacers who have performed brilliantly so far. The ultimate test is on a flat track, whether they can claim all 20 wickets or not. Australia has the best batting tracks and if they’re able to claim all 20 wickets, your name is made. I feel that the bowlers are not given the credits,” said Sehwag.

India now trail England 1-2 in the five-match series. The fourth and penultimate match of the series will start on August 30 in Southampton.