Virat Kohli Made History With a Wicket on His 0th T20I Ball: Know the Rare Record
Virat Kohli is known for his batting records, but he also owns a rare T20I bowling feat. Know the unusual record from his very first ball.
Virat Kohli is known to be one of the finest batsmen in the world however he also holds a very strange record in bowling that not many fans know about. He took a wicket even before he bowled his first legal ball in T20I cricket.
This wicket happened on what is known as the 0th ball of his career in T20I. This might sound a bit confusing but has a simple explanation and it is linked to the very first time Kohli bowled in a T20I match.
What is Virat Kohli's 0th-Ball T20I Wicket Record?
Virat Kohli took a wicket in T20Is even before he bowled a legal delivery and it was credited to him as a bowler even though the ball was not counted as a proper delivery.
His historic rare record was made on August 31, 2011 at Old Trafford and this match was played between India and England. He took the wicket of England's Kevin Pietersen.
Statisticians call this a "0th-ball" wicket and the reason is that the ball on which the wicket fell was not a legal delivery but the wicket was still counted.
How Did Virat Kohli Take a Wicket Without Bowling a Ball?
Here is how the event happened:
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India's captain at that time MS Dhoni gave Kohli his first ever over in T20 Internationals.
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Kohli's first delivery was a wide ball down the leg side.
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Kevin Pietersen tried to come down the pitch but missed the ball.
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MS Dhoni stumped Pietersen off that wide ball.
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The wicket went into Kohli's bowling record. But since the ball was wide, it was not a legal delivery. So his ball count for that over stayed at zero.
Why is This Record So Rare?
Kohli is the only player who has claimed a wicket off his 0th ball in any format in men's international cricket. Other bowlers have taken wickets before bowling their first legal ball in a T20I innings, but not on their own career debut ball.
Some of the names are
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Graeme Swann against Shoaib Malik in 2010
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Sunil Narine against Martin Guptill in 2012
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Shakib Al Hasan against Lendl Simmons in 2014.
But Kohli is the only one who did this on the very first ball he ever bowled in T20I cricket. That is what makes his record more special.
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