“Bhatta Phenk Raha Hai”: Did Virat Kohli Accuse a West Indies Star of Having an Illegal Bowling Action?”

Virat Kohli expressed his discontent with Kraigg Brathwaite’s bowling action during Day 2 of the Dominica Test. He appeared to accuse the West Indies captain of engaging in a throwing action.

Yashasvi Jaiswal and Virat Kohli engaged in a conversation on the field.

On Day 2 of the first Test against West Indies in Dominica, Virat Kohli, the experienced campaigner for India, struggled to find his rhythm. It took him until the 81st delivery he faced to finally hit a boundary. Throughout his unbeaten innings in the first innings, Kohli expressed dissatisfaction with the bowling action of West Indies captain Kraigg Brathwaite. It was reported that the stump microphone even captured him discussing this matter with Yashasvi Jaiswal.

As per reports from Wisden and various other sources, Virat Kohli’s comments caught on the stump microphone were, “Bhatta phenk raha hai,” which translates to “he is throwing bricks.” This remark suggested that Kohli was questioning the legality of Kraigg Brathwaite’s bowling action, indicating his skepticism about the West Indies captain’s actions on the field.

This is not the first instance where Kraigg Brathwaite’s bowling action has come under scrutiny. Back in 2019, during India’s tour of the West Indies, Brathwaite’s action was reported. Additionally, in 2017, his action was also brought into question. However, in both cases, the International Cricket Council (ICC) conducted investigations and found no fault, indicating that his bowling action was deemed to be within the legal parameters defined by the rules of the game.

According to the regulations, an action is considered illegal if the bowler’s elbow extension exceeds 15 degrees, measured from the point when the bowling arm reaches a horizontal position until the ball is released.

It is important to mention that Virat Kohli has not lodged an official complaint regarding Brathwaite’s action with the umpires. Kohli’s comment about the West Indies skipper potentially chucking appears to be his personal observation shared with his on-field partner, Yashasvi Jaiswal.

While a formal complaint against Brathwaite’s action has not been officially made, there is a possibility that a member of the Indian team may raise the issue during the ongoing tour’s two Tests.

Regarding the Dominica Test, India currently holds the advantage in the match, having finished Day 2 with a commanding lead of 162 runs.

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