"The decline has started" - Twitterati slams Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane for getting out inside 3 overs in Chennai

English off-spinner Dom Bess sent Twitter in a swirl as he dismissed India's captain and vice-captain, Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane, in consecutive overs. He became the first spinner to dismiss the pair on Indian soil since December 2017.

Virat Kohli, coming off a two-month-long break, played more defensive than usual for his 11. The pitch was playing tricks and the ball showed massive turn every now and then. Dom Bess, on his part, kept on bowling straight deliveries to extract purchase from the rough outside the off-stump.

On the fourth delivery of the 24th over, Bess looped the delivery wide of the off-stump and enticed Kohli to play at it. The skipper took the bait and went for a hard push only to give a catch off his inside edge to short leg.

Ajinkya Rahane replaced Virat Kohli on the crease, but his stint also didn't last or long. He played five balls, all defensive strokes before advancing on the sixth to hit an uppish drive to the left of the cover. England skipper Joe Root intervened with a breath-taking catch and sent the vice-captain packing.

Twitterati wasn't pleased with the batting from two of India's most experienced campaigners. Following are the best of the reactions.

Twitter slams Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane for losing wickets inside 3 overs

Kohli and Rahane gone. Hope an amicable solution is reached.#INDvsENG

— Jagan (@_Jagan_) February 7, 2021

@imVkohli what a dismal performance by you... shouldn't you be taking time off and work on your short comings??

— Subrata Panda (@spanda69) February 7, 2021

Team India giving those Sunday depression vibes 🙂! #INDvENG #Kohli

— Tushar Jadhav (@tusharrjadhav) February 7, 2021

Horrible batting display by top order batsmen Kohli and Rahane. What a bowling by Eng bowlers!!!

— V Subramaniam (@VSubram50920947) February 7, 2021

He’s been really poor off late. And his silence both in the field and with the bat affects the team’s moral greatly. #INDvsENG #ENGvIND

— Harsh Bindal (@Harsh_Bindal) February 7, 2021

If kohli can't play in India, then what's even the point? He was class once,dosnt look like that now.#INDvENG #Kohli #Root

— Truebae ak 🐼 (@MissPanda241) February 7, 2021

King Kohli is already back to pavilion. Once a legend said,“Kohli nhi hota tujhse chase” 👀😂#INDvsENG

— PakistaniCricketfan1 (@PCricketfan1) February 7, 2021

Kya kya sapna tha... Rohit 200 Kohli 200....700 runs baneyenge.. Aur day 5 mai 2 sessions mai ashwin aur bumrah inke watt laga denge...

— Rohan (@Rohan27493314) February 7, 2021

Toh guys kohli bhai ko paternity leave par bhej de 😅😅 #INDvsENG #BCCI

— gaurav sharma (@GauravSharmath) February 7, 2021

The decline of @imVkohli has started. Save this tweet.

— abhishek bhutani (@bhishekbhutani) February 7, 2021

We want Aggressive Virat back

— Rahil (@Rahil_18_) February 7, 2021

India is nothing but an ordinary team and I hope England beats them to a spot in that WTC final - Kohli is an arrogant overrated player and captain #INDvENG

— El Magnifico (@VishnChipz) February 7, 2021

Aab kya har wicket girne par Trend hoga? Started with Rohit , Gill, Kohli and Now Rahane 🤔 #INDvENG

— सिद्धांत | سدھانت (@Siddhant01) February 7, 2021

Something’s don’t change like #kohli’s batting under pressure #INDvsENG

— Niru (@NiruSinghIn) February 7, 2021

Kohli hasn’t been too impressive against the spin lately. Swepson, Zampa and now Bess #INDvENG

— Trident (@Indian_Brigade) February 7, 2021

England on top in Chennai on Sunday

Like Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane, India's openers also gifted away their wickets on Sunday. Rohit Sharma was the first to depart for six runs, after he poked on a rising delivery by Jofra Archer.

Shubman Gill batted elegantly for his 29 but couldn't control his instincts and drove an easy delivery in the air. 38-year-old James Anderson dived like a teenager to grab the catch at mid-on.

The onus is again on India's batting heroes from their tour Down Under - Cheteshwar Pujara and Rishabh Pant. The target is massive and it will require a momentous effort from the duo if India needs to save this game from this position.