Ishant Sharma opens up about the truth behind Zaheer Khan’s Test retirement and the allegations against Virat Kohli

In the annals of Test cricket history, certain moments stand out, and one such incident happened during a thrilling encounter between India and New Zealand at the Basin Reserve in 2014. Former Indian skipper, Virat Kohli found himself embroiled in an amusing but infamous incident, which also involved former fast bowler Zaheer Khan and became a laughing stock among cricket fans and players alike.

The match was ripe for drama and both the teams were at their best. However, a turning point came when Brendon McCullum, the then New Zealand captain, was given a life on 9 runs. The culprit behind this costly catch was none other than the dynamic and dynamic Virat Kohli. Little did anyone know that this missed opportunity would lead to an amusing episode in the commentary box and a hilarious “accusation” aimed at Kohli.

While the bowler who was the victim of the unfortunate incident was Mohammed Shami, former Indian pacer Zaheer Khan couldn’t help but blame Kohli for the catch, which McCullum took advantage of to score a brilliant triple century.

Zaheer Khan and Ishant Sharma joined as commentators for the second Test between India and West Indies. Former India opener Aakash Chopra presented an interesting comparison between the Test match career figures of both the former players. Both Zaheer and Ishant achieved an impressive record of 311 wickets and 11 five-wicket hauls. However, Zaheer played 92 matches, while Ishant played 105 matches.

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This statistical revelation started a discussion on why Zaheer Khan missed out on reaching the milestone of 100 Test matches for India. The conversation took a light-hearted turn when Ishant Sharma shared a hilarious anecdote from the past.

Ishant recalled the incident from the tour of New Zealand, where McCullum’s 300 was supported by a catch by Kohli. Ishant joked that Kohli apologized several times during the match and Zaheer, in a good mood, jokingly announced the end of his Test career after dropping a catch.

Zaheer Khan clarified the incident by revealing that he had in fact referred to a history of dropped catches which led to big scores. He wistfully recalled how he had informed Kohli about the first incident when a dropped catch by Kiran More allowed Graham Gooch to score 300. After this, Zaheer mentioned the funny coincidence of Kohli’s missed catch and the subsequent triple century.

Zaheer managed to take five wickets in the match but conceded 170 runs in 51 overs. McCullum’s historic 302 and centuries from BJ Watling and James Neesham helped New Zealand post a mammoth 680 for 8 to save the match from India’s clutches.

Ultimately, the incident was shared as an amusing memory among Zaheer Khan, Virat Kohli and the cricket world. True to his resilient spirit, Kohli displayed his batting prowess with an unbeaten 105 in the second innings and contributed to the thrilling draw.

Similarities in Test career of Ishant Sharma and Zaheer Khan. pic.twitter.com/CCBfrC5qU2

– Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) 24 July 2023

In cricket, moments like these add a touch of camaraderie and laughter to the game. The incident is testimony to the lighter side of the game, where legends like Zaheer Khan and Virat Kohli can crack a joke despite the competitive nature of Test cricket.

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