To cap off a bizarre passage of play, Virat Kohli was run out after attempting a non-existent single in the final minutes of the opening day of the India-New Zealand Mumbai Test.
India's top order capitulated dramatically in the dying stages of the first day: Yashasvi Jaiswal's missed reverse sweep was followed by nightwatchman Mohammed Siraj's plumb lbw (and a burnt review). Virat Kohli came out to face the hat-trick ball, and survived.
With Ajaz Patel's double-wicket maiden rattling India, Rachin Ravindra was introduced into the attack, ahead of Ish Sodhi.
Kohli punished the second ball, a repeat delivery after a no-ball, for four, getting off the mark off a full-toss.
The very next ball, disaster struck.
He turned a full delivery towards mid-on, and charged out for a single. However, he could not beat Matt Henry's quick pick-up and throw, diving to make his ground but failing to match the direct hit. He lay on the ground as New Zealand celebrated, the Wankhede crowd silenced, and India losing three wickets in the space of eight balls.
There was a wave of disbelief in the stadium and in the commentary box. "Out by a foot", remarked his former coach Ravi Shastri on air, while Anil Kumble, dissecting the dismissal later, called it "suicidal".
It was Kohli's fourth run-out in Test cricket, and his first since the dismissal against the West Indies in Port of Spain in 2023.
Gill and Rishabh Pant safely negotiated the remaining three balls of the day, but Kohli's "brainfade" is expected to be the topic of discussion through the night.
India finished the evening on 86-4, still 149 away from New Zealand's first-innings score.
Watch Virat Kohli's suicidal run out:
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