The veteran pacer reminisced a hilarious comment from India's ex pace attack leader to the modern-day batting giant during the 2014 tour of New Zealand.
Ishant Sharma recalled a funny anecdote from India’s 2014 tour of New Zealand between ace speedster Zaheer Khan and modern-day legend Virat Kohli. The veteran seamer reminisced how Zaheer sarcastically told Kohli he has just fastened the end of his career during the Test series played against the hosts.
Zaheer, India’s former pace attack leader, made his comments to Kohli at the sidelines of the Wellington Test, remembered as a massive missed opportunity for the Indian team where despite taking a huge first-innings they saw Brendon McCullum shift the game entirely with a marathon triple century.
Kohli dropped McCullum earlier in his stay, with India thereafter failing to extract any wicket-taking chance from the Kiwi skipper until he reached his great milestone and pushed New Zealand to ascendancy at 680/8 declared in the third essay. After reducing the hosts to 5/94 with a deficit of 152 runs, India helplessly saw New Zealand recover to a lead of 426 in a draw.
Speaking on ‘JioCinema’, Ishant revealed the hilarious comments from Zaheer, who showed his mischievous side by rubbing the drop catch into Kohli by telling him he’s just ended his career. Sadly, as it panned, despite taking a five-fer in that innings, fitness issues compiled over time meant it was indeed the end of Zaheer Khan’s influential career for India.
“We were playing in New Zealand. Brendon McCullum had scored 300 runs and when Virat Kohli dropped a catch, I remembered that this happened around lunch,” Ishant said.
“Virat said sorry to Zak and Zak said, ‘No worries, we’ll get him out.’ During tea, Kohli said sorry again and Zak told him not to worry. On the third day when Kohli apologised during tea, Zak told him, ‘You’ve ended my career!’.”
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Zaheer, present in the discussion, confirmed the anecdote and revealed Kohli feeling furious whenever the topic is revisited and telling them not to talk about it to anyone. With the incident dating nine years back, Ishant said his childhood friend wouldn’t mind if they reveal it now.
“I didn’t say that. I said that there were only two players, the first was Kiran More who dropped Graham Gooch and he scored 300. After that, it’s Virat Kohli who dropped a catch and someone scored 300. Then, he told me not to talk like that, naturally as he wouldn’t have felt good about that. The catch was dropped and the runs were scored,” Zaheer said.
