#INDvAUS: DRS, a lesson Virat Kohli is yet to learn

In the 10th over of Day 3 in the first Test in Pune, India captain Virat Kohli stood furious next to umpire Richard Kettleborough.

Steve Smith, batting on 73, plonked his pad out to a straight delivery from Ravindra Jadeja. The Indians went up in unison but Kettleborough was unmoved. The giant screen showed the ball crashing into middle stump.
Ten overs later, Umesh Yadav induced the bottom edge off Matthew Wade's bat to wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha. Kettleborough didn't hear anything, but the snicko showed a big spike.

Kohli again stood near the wicket in disbelief, giving a long, hard stare to the English umpire.

While the two incidents on the third day would seem minuscule in the overall context of the match which the visitors one by 333 runs, but it did rob the hosts of two crucial wickets in decisive moments.

It was partly due to the fault of the umpire, and partly due to Kohli himself.

India had no reviews left to overturn the decisions, for Kohli had used both the referrals by the 37th over on the second day itself.

The story was similar in Australia's first innings, where India used up both their DRS opportunities by the 39th over.

And the binding thread in all four of those reviews was that they were nowhere close to being out, and the referrals were taken purely out of poor judgement and a bit of over-excitement.

In Australia's first innings on the first day of the Test, Ravichandran Ashwin was confident that Matt Renshaw had knicked a ball to Saha. The wicketkeeper is the best judge in such scenarios, and despite there being considerable daylight between bat and ball, Saha and Ashwin convinced Kohli to review it.

The next one in that innings was even more appalling. Umesh, getting the back to reverse into the right-hander, got one up and swinging to Smith. It hit Smith's pad around the leg stump, and would've clearly missed the stumps. Yet, Kohli reviewed it. It was indeed missing leg.

In the second dig, an LBW shout for Mitchell Marsh off Jayant Yadav's bowling was debated. Kohli wasn't sure, and he gave it a thought for quite a long time. Most captains around the world wouldn't take a review unless they were sure it was out, or unless the wicketkeeper or bowler were hell-bent. In this case, neither of them was. However, Kohli gambled and went upstairs, and the ball was missing leg stump.

Two overs later, same bowler, similar situation, different batsman in Smith. The India skipper went for another review. The ball was again sliding down the stumps.

The reaction said it all. Kohli put it his head down after watching it on the giant screen.

The hosts had no reviews left for the remaining 50 overs of Australia's second innings, and that period had two clear dismissals – and some more close ones – which could've changed the complexion of the game. If only Kohli was a lot more patient, smart and certain about which decisions to review and which ones to give the benefit to the umpire's gut.

Equally responsible should be the wicketkeeper Saha and the bowlers, who must ask the captain to review it only if they are 100 per cent certain.

And not to forget the batsmen, who also wasted two reviews in India's second innings. India openers Murali Vijay and KL Rahul were both given out LBW, but both went upstairs after a chat with the non-striker. Both decisions were umpire's call, and the hosts lost their both reviews in just six overs.

India's wasted reviews played a role in their final death knell. Jayant, the last wicket to fall, was out to a howler, ironically for which the DRS is in place.

"When the players feel that probably the decision could have gone our way, that's when you take DRS," India head coach Anil Kumble said after the second day's play. "I think in the previous two series when the DRS was there, we were better off than the opposition (England and Bangladesh)."

The hosts, though, would do well to learn a lesson in the DRS chapter from their current opposition.

In India's second innings, Steve O'Keefe hit Kohli's pads and seemed positive about the ball hitting the stumps. The umpire wasn't, and O'Keefe looked at Smith. The Australia captain decided to give the benefit to the umpire and not review it.

The referrals up their sleeve came to Australia's rescue when Ravichandran Ashwin was trapped by the same bowler a little later in the innings. This time, Smith was convinced it was out, though the umpire wasn't. He reviewed it, and the decision was overturned.

"For me, if it's given not out in the middle and we think it's out, we generally have a crack," Smith said about the trick of using DRS. "You don't want to guess too much on those sort of wickets."

About time Kohli & Co realise that.

India's sorry DRS tale in Pune

The hosts had as many as 6 completely unnecessary reviews in the first Test in Pune. Here is the summary of them...

Australia 1st innings

10th over: Ravichandran Ashwin is confident about Matt Renshaw edging a turning ball to wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha. Virat Kohli reviews it, but there is daylight between bat and ball.

39th over: Umesh Yadav gets the ball to reverse a full ball into Steve Smith. It hits Smith's pad around the leg stump. Kohli reviews is, and the ball is missing leg

Australia 2nd innings

35th over: Jayant Yadav gets one to rip sharply into Mitchell Marsh. An uncertain Kohli thinks for a long time, and goes upstairs. The ball is sliding down the stumps.
37th over: Smith misses a sweep off a turning Jayant ball. The impact of the ball is around the middle stump, and the turn should take it down. Kohli wastes another review.

India 2nd innings

5th over: Muraji Vijay is hit on the pads by a straighter Steve O'Keefe delivery. The umpire gives it out, Vijay reviews it. The ball is clipping leg stump, and the decision stands.
6th over: KL Rahul goes back to a turning Nathan Lyon ball, but doesn't play enough for the turn. It strikes his pad deep in the crease. Rahul reviews the LWB, but it is umpire's calls