Feature

You don't drop Kohli twice

Plays of the day for the IPL match between Delhi Daredevils and Royal Challengers Bangalore in Sharjah

"You make your own luck" - Wayne Parnell had the misfortune of having Virat Kohli dropped twice  •  BCCI

"You make your own luck" - Wayne Parnell had the misfortune of having Virat Kohli dropped twice  •  BCCI

The sitter
It's common these days for captains to target Virat Kohli's wicket early in a chase, with instructions to the fielders to grab even half chances that come their way. Delhi, however, were caught napping twice in an over, when Kohli was in his 20s. The unfortunate bowler was Wayne Parell. Jimmy Neesham didn't have to move much at short fine leg but the ball somehow failed to stick. It drew comparisons to Lasith Malinga's drop the previous night in Abu Dhabi. Later in the over, he was put down again, at deep cover, but Neesham's drop will stick in memory for it was the simplest of takes.
The ball
Whatever the benefits of the strategic timeout, it certainly didn't help M Vijay today. He was batting on 18 off 19 balls and was looking to give the Delhi innings some stability at 35 for 3 before he was dismissed first ball after the break. Legspinner Yuzvendra Chahal gave the ball plenty of revolutions but to Vijay's surprise, the ball didn't turn. It straightened and shaved the off stump and Vijay, playing for the drive, slumped at the crease. He trudged back, unsure whether the ball struck the stumps first but replays confirmed it did. Perhaps the delivery itself had not yet sunk in.
The shot
Parthiv Patel is not always known for clearing the rope, but tonight he proved he had enough muscle to smash the roof of the stadium. It was a long hop from the left-arm spinner Shahbaz Nadeem and sat up nicely to be hit. Parthiv rocked back and bludgeoned it over deep square leg and sent it out of the park. His captain Virat Kohli, at the non-striker's end, was beaming from ear to ear as he applauded that shot.
The golden duck
Delhi splurged the most to get Dinesh Karthik this season, with their star pick Kevin Pietersen second in the salary list. Karthik found himself leading Delhi for the injured Pietersen, but his first innings as captain was over before you could blink. Albie Morkel got one to land outside off stump and straighten but Karthik was squared up as he looked to drive through cover. The bowler deserved credit for bowling a teasing line to get Karthik playing at it and Delhi's most expensive player was gone for a golden duck.

Kanishkaa Balachandran is a senior sub-editor at ESPNcricinfo