'My Mom Called, Said She's Coming to Watch the Game for Virat Kohli': WI Keeper's Stump-Mic Confession

A resolute innings from Virat Kohli put India in the driving seat on the opening day of the second Test against West Indies in Trinidad. In what was his 500^th international game for India, the former captain scored his 30^th Test fifty and then returned unbeaten on 87. Following some quick dismissal, a 106-run unbeaten partnership between Kohli and Jadeja brought back the visitors back into the game as India posted 288/4 at stumps.

Kohli showcased great patience while dealing with the Windies attack on a track that wasn’t aiding stroke-making. He took 97 deliveries to reach his half-century and some deliveries later, he surpassed South African legend Jacques Kallis to become the fifth-highest run-getter in international cricket.

Fans who were watching the game on TV sets expressed their adoration for Kohli with reactions on social media, especially when he brought his fifty with a beautiful cover drive off Jomel Warrican. But one of his admirers was standing close to him, right behind the stumps – West Indies wicketkeeper Joshua Da Silva.

Joshua was continuously chirping as he was clearly heard on the stump mic. But to everyone’s surprise, his words were more of a fanboy. He was heard asking Kohli to get a hundred this time as the ace Indian batter missed out on one in the previous face-off in Dominica.

Later, Joshua even heard saying at the stump mic that his mother told him that she would be coming to the Queen’s Park Oval to watch Kohli bat.

“My mom called me and told me she’s coming to watch the match for Virat Kohli, I couldn’t believe it,” Joshua said.

The Windies stumper will get more chance to watch Virat closely when the play resume on Saturday in Trinidad. The latter will go into day two just 14 runs shy of his first hundred in an overseas Test since December 2018.

Earlier, Rohit Sharma (80) and Yashasvi Jaiswal (57) shared a brisk 139-run stand to provide another perfect launch pad. But the West Indies struck in the afternoon session to put brakes on India’s scoring rate. Kohli (87*) and Ravindra Jadeja (36*) played some exquisite strokes in the final session and ensured India collected 106 runs in 33.2 overs without losing a wicket.