Former India batter Mohammed Kaif has voiced his disappointment over Virat Kohli's unnecessary run-out during Day 1 of the Mumbai Test against New Zealand. Kohli, who began his innings with promise, found himself caught short at the non-striker's end after a sharp direct hit from Matt Henry. This moment proved crucial, as it left India in a struggling situation at a critical point in the match.

Kohli started his innings confidently, striking a boundary off a full toss from Rachin Ravindra. However, during the final over of the day, he attempted a risky single on the third ball. With Henry positioned at mid-on, the bowler’s quick reflexes led to a precise throw that easily dislodged the bails, leaving Kohli stranded.

Despite his attempt to dive back into his crease, he was unable to make it in time, departing for a disappointing score at a moment when India needed stability.

Kaif took to his official X account to express his concerns, stating, “Virat Kohli in this series has been clean bowled to a full toss and now this error of judgement to be run out. This needs to change if India needs to reach the WTC final.”

India currently sits in a precarious position in the WTC points table after their recent series loss to New Zealand. To secure a spot in the finals, they must win four of their remaining six Tests, including the ongoing match in Mumbai.

Kohli has had a poor run in the home Test season so far, scoring only one half-century across 9 innings. He endured a poor dismissal in the previous Test of the series against New Zealand, when Mitchell Santner castled him on a full toss.

India in hunt for WTC Final

Although India leads the table narrowly, teams like Australia and South Africa could overtake them, given their upcoming home fixtures. With South Africa playing all four of their remaining Tests at home and Australia set for five home Tests followed by two in Sri Lanka, the pressure is on captain Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli to perform at their best.

The stakes are high, and any further missteps could jeopardize India's chances of competing in the final.

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