Watch: Virat Kohli drops Jack Leach despite a valiant jump in Edgbaston Test

An improving slip fielder, Virat Kohli had his moment of lapse on Day 2 of the Edgbaston Test against England. The Indian batting maestro ended up dropping opposition nightwatchman Jack Leach near the close of play in Birmingham. 

Kohli made a valiant jump to try and grab the ball, which was rising off Leach’s willow over the head of the Indian slip cordon. But he couldn’t grab hold of the ball, losing his footing and balance along the way. 

Positioned at first slip, the former skipper even tried to collect the ball on the rebound but it fell to the sidelines, giving Leach a reprieve. 

Virat Kohli looked disappointed for a brief, feeling the pinch of dropping the nightwatchman. But he consoled himself thereafter and got on with the job at hand. 

Virat Kohli drops Jack Leach in Edgbaston 

The drop catch was seen in the back half of the 24th over in the England first-innings. Having reduced the hosts to 79 for 4 after posting a gigantic 416 themselves, the Indians had their foot on the neck of the three lions and looking to build further inroads. 

Running into bowl at Leach from around-the-wicket angle, experienced seamer Mohammad Shami got a straight one to rise off a length, which meant the ball took the top-edge against the left-hander even as he tried to leave it. 

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The ball went straight to first slip Virat Kohli, but its constantly rising nature made it difficult for Kohli to grab the ball. The player jumped up to collect the ball with both hands but it still spilled off his fingers and gave Leach a reprieve. 

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Kohli even tried to resurrect himself at the last moment and take it on the rebound. By then, however, it was too late, as the ball had looped up quite far off him and landed on the turf, much to the relief of Leach and England as they tried to protect their next specialist batter through the nightwatchman. 

That relief, though, was short-lived, with Shami eventually getting Leach out and reducing England to 84 for 5 by the close of play.