"Sachin Tendulkar ke paas bahut range tha" - Former India all-rounder tears into Virat Kohli after dismissal in BGT 2024-25 5th Test

Citing Sachin Tendulkar's example, former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan slammed Virat Kohli for getting out caught in slips or by the wicketkeeper while poking outside the off stump for the eighth time in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2024-25. The reaction came on Day 1 (Friday, January 3) of the fifth Test, as Kohli was caught in slips off Scott Boland, departing for 17 runs off 69 balls.

Pathan questioned a lack of discipline while dismissing the comparison between Kohli and legendary Sachin Tendulkar. The cricketer-turned-commentator suggested that, unlike Kohli, Tendulkar had a range of shots.

Virat Kohli has failed to deliver with the bat in the Border-Gavaskar series, barring his unbeaten 100 in Perth. His other scores are 5, 7, 11, 3, 36, 5, 17 (Friday, January 3).

Pathan told Star Sports:

"Such a great player, repeating the same mistake every time. It’s said that the difference between the two mistakes should be stretched, big players do that. But, he didn’t do it. Almost six dismissals in this series in front of pace outside the off-stump whether it’s playing the length on front or backfoot or while diving in the air. This ball is very far away."

The 40-year-old continued:

"Today as well, he could’ve left it from the length, the line was far away as well. It’s all about discipline. Whoever makes the comparison, like great Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli should leave the balls outside off stump and show discipline [surprises me]."

"But Sachin Tendulkar had a lot of range, there was cut, upper cut but Virat never plays those cuts, it’s not like he’s never played that. He doesn’t want to do that. He is reluctant and that’s the reason he goes for the drive or tries to defend sixth or seventh stump balls. All the time there is an outside edge and he gets out," he added.

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"Have a look at what Sachin Tendulkar did way back in 2004" - When Sunil Gavaskar suggested Virat Kohli take a leaf out of Tendulkar's 241 masterclass in Sydney

Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar recently urged Virat Kohli to take a leaf out of Sachin Tendulkar's masterclass innings in Sydney (2004), where he smashed 241 against Australia without playing a cover drive while leaving deliveries outside off stump. The 75-year-old told Star Sports during the third BGT 2024-25 Test (via India Today):

"What I think Kohli can do is maybe have a look at what Sachin Tendulkar did way back in 2004. In the first three Test matches, he got out playing for the line outside the off-stump. He got caught at slips, short gully."

"When he came to Sydney, he decided he was not going to play anything in the cover region. He played only between the bowler's follow-through and to the right of the mid-off fielder, and everything else on the other side," he added.

"That’s the resolve. He hardly played a cover drive; I think only after getting to 200-220 did he play one. That is the kind of mind control you should be having," Gavaskar concluded.

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