Virat Kohli was heard seemingly questioning the legality of West Indies’ skipper Kraigg Brathwaite’s bowling action on the stump mic on day two of the first Test between India and West Indies in Dominica.
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Kohli came out to bat in the 79th over of the first innings at the fall of Shubman Gill’s wicket with the score reading 240-2. He took his time to settle in, with centurion Yashasvi Jaiswal for company at the other end.
With the ball gripping and bouncing, West Indies attacked Kohli with spin from both ends. Rakheem Cornwall, their lead off-spinner was off the field with illness, forcing the hosts to use almost all the part-time bowling resources they had.
Brathwaite had first brought himself on in the 48th over of the innings when the opening pair of Rohit Sharma and Jaiswal were going well. He brought himself on for another spell in the 90th over, this time with Kohli and Jaiswal batting.
It was then that Kohli was heard on the stump mic talking to his partner in Hindi, saying, “Bhatta phenk raha hai“, which translates to “he is throwing bricks,” implying that Brathwaite was possibly chucking and that his action might not be legal.
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This is not the first time that Brathwaite’s bowling action has been called out. He was reported for a suspect action the last time India toured West Indies in 2019 as well, and also in 2017. He was, however, cleared both times as the ICC found on further tests that his action was within the legal limits specified.
An illegal bowling action is defined by ICC as one where “a bowler’s elbow extension exceeds 15 degrees, measured from the point at which the bowling arm reaches the horizontal until the point at which the ball is released”.
If either umpire or the Match Referee suspects that a bowler is bowling with an illegal bowling action, they can report it after the match.
There was, however, no indication from either umpire during day two’s play that Brathwaite’s action might have been illegal. Even Kohli’s complaint seemed to be just a passing remark to his own batting partner and not an official one registered to the umpires.
Whether Brathwaite is reported again for a suspect action or not, remains to be seen.
