ENG vs IND: Virat Kohli’s remarks fired up Jonny Bairstow

• Bairstow has been the leading run-getter for England this year.
• Kohli made the same mistake as Flintoff.
• Bairstow played aggressively after an intensive talk with Kohli.

This year, Jonny Bairstow has been England’s most in-form hitter. In reality, he is the leading run-scorer in Test cricket in 2022. The man who terrorized New Zealand with two devastating hundreds could hardly lay bat on ball as Mohammed Shami and Jasprit Bumrah put him through a trial by fire late on day two.

On Sunday, day three at Edgbaston, a brighter forecast with the sun shining would have made his life much simpler. However, neither Bumrah nor Shami were willing to help him.

Shami was persistent with his line, striking Bairstow on at least six occasions. He also employed the away-going delivery skillfully to produce the misfire. All discussion of “Bazball” vanished as he stayed scoreless through twenty deliveries.

It's tense out there between Virat Kohli and Jonny Bairstow 😳#ENGvIND pic.twitter.com/3lIZjERvDW

— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) July 3, 2022

Virat Kohli, standing at slip, made the same error Andrew Flintoff did in Durban. Awaken a sleeping giant.

Flintoff’s furious exchange with Yuvraj Singh fueled him to hit six sixes in an over. He should have remembered what happened when an England camp member tossed jellybeans on the pitch when Zaheer Khan batted in the 2007 Trent Bridge Test.

The left-arm seamer’s aggressive, the incisive session helped India beat England.

Sunday, Kohli also committed the error of poking the bear.

After the umpteenth miss off Shami, Kohli exclaimed to Bairstow, “a bit quicker than Southee, eh?”

Bairstow signaled with his gloves that the former Indian skipper was going overboard. Kohli approached him and told him to “shut up, stand up, and bat,” followed by a finger to the lips signal.

Umpires Richard Kettleborough and Aleem Dar and England captain Ben Stokes stepped in.

Kohli gave Bairstow a gentle punch on the shoulder. However, Bairstow was fired up.

At 13 not out after 61 balls, he abruptly exclaimed, “Right. I’m going to show you guys, especially Virat, what I’m made of.”

After another miss, Kohli laughed and mocked Bairstow. Two balls later, Shami’s length ball over gully got him rolling.

Jonny Bairstow's Strike Rate before Kohli's Sledging -: 21
Post Sledging – 150

Pujara ki tarah khel rahe thhey, Kohli ne Pant banwa diya bewajah sledge karke #IndvsEng

— Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) July 3, 2022

Bairstow started scoring once Bumrah was replaced by Mohammed Siraj.

Short arm pull over mid-wicket, biff over cover, spectacular flick from the stumps, pick up over mid-on with a short back lift, orthodox off-drive, ramp over the slips off Shardul Thakur, couple swats into mid-wicket stands.

The entire repertoire was performed.

Every aggressive stroke was accompanied by a look at Kohli. The former India captain, who was outspoken earlier, became silent.