Kohli: India to blame for over-rate points penalty

India captain Virat Kohli said his team had no one to blame but themselves after both they and England were docked two World Test Championship points each for maintaining a slow over-rate in their rain-marred drawn series opener at Nottingham last week.

Both teams were also fined 40% of their match fee by match referee Chris Broad.

England and India now take two points each out of the Test, the first of a five-match series, instead of the four they would normally receive for a draw under the new points system for the 2021-23 WTC cycle.

Kohli as captain is a key figure in maintaining the over-rate. 

The points deductions could yet have a bearing on whether England or India qualify for the second WTC final, with Australia having missed out on this year's inaugural showpiece match - where India were beaten by New Zealand at Southampton in June - partly as a result of over-rate penalties.

One key factor in the slow over-rates at Trent Bridge was that both attacks were dominated by fast bowlers, with India left-armer Ravindra Jadeja the lone spinner on either side.

Frequent rain interruptions delayed the game, while batsmen on both sides took their time to face-up.

Australia saw their hopes of playing in the WTC final harmed when they were docked four points for a slow over-rate during the 2020 Boxing Day Test.

Together with a 2-1 series loss to India, that pushed New Zealand into second place in the table.