Sign language. How important a role can it play in cricket? Well, very important if you know how and when to use to it, just like Indian captain Virat Kohli and head coach Ravi Shastri did on Day 5 of the first India-Sri Lanka Test at Kolkata.
There are numerous reports suggesting the bond between the Indian captain and coach but on Monday, during the post-lunch session at Eden Gardens, Kohli and Sahstri gave a firsthand account of it.
India had a healthy lead of 199 with Kohli batting on 85 with Bhuvneshwar Kumar (8) for company. More than the amount of runs, India were concerned about the time remaining in the final day. Keeping the fading light of the venue in mind, Shastri decided to throw in some advice from the dressing room. But who needs a mediator? Shashtri made signals to Kohli. And some 120 meters away batting in the middle, the Indian captain got the gist of it which we, sitting at home aided by multiple replays could not.
Shastri’s gesture was perhaps a 200-run lead or two more overs, before India decided to have a crack at the vulnerable Sri Lankan batting. And guess what, India achieved both – a lead of 230 runs after just 3.4 overs from Shastri’s signals. In that little period, Kohli had also become the joint fastest to reach 50 international centuries by getting there with an effortless six over extra cover.
The timing of the declaration almost proved pivotal as Indian seamers ran Sri Lanka ragged, picking seven of their wickets before bad light came to their rescue and helped them get away with a draw.