Subhayan Chakraborty in Sydney
Virat Kohli has been in his element during the ongoing fifth and final Test against Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground. Yes, he scored just 17 and 6 in two innings, both times getting out in a similar manner on the fifth-stump line, the primary reason for his struggles in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy this season. But on the field, the SCG witnessed the vintage Kohli, the captain, taking charge in the middle in the absence of Jasprit Bumrah, who suffered a back spasm.
Kohli was visibly frustrated with himself after poking at yet another delivery from Scott Boland, gifting his wicket to Australia in the second innings. He was dismissed by Boland for the fourth time in the series, all in similar fashion. In total, he has been caught eight times in the slip cordon. The debate over his spot in the team persists, given his 417 runs at an average of just 24.52 in 19 innings in 2024, numbers that would look even more concerning without his century in Perth. However, Kohli was revitalised when the Indian team took the field at the end of Day 1, showing his animated side even more on Day 2, especially with Bumrah sidelined after going for scans.
With Rohit Sharma out of the XI for the Sydney Test, Bumrah took on the captaincy duties like in Perth. Towards the end of Day 1, Bumrah engaged in a verbal spat with non-striker Sam Konstas and celebrated in an aggressive manner after dismissing Usman Khawaja with the last ball of the day. He charged towards Konstas to assert his dominance. From the slip cordon, Kohli joined in the celebration in the same spirited way he did as an official captain back in the day, with fist pumps, roars, and stare-downs as Khawaja and Konstas headed back to the pavilion at play’s end.
On Day 2, Kohli was even more proactive, suggesting field changes and showing increased vigour even with Bumrah still on the field. As the session continued, Kohli’s involvement intensified. When Mohammed Siraj dismissed Konstas in the 12th over, the slip cordon, including Kohli, erupted in joy. A couple of deliveries later, when Siraj got Travis Head for 4, Kohli ran towards his pacer to celebrated with jump-and-fist bumps.
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Bumrah informed Kohli of his departure from the field at the end of the 31st over, and shortly thereafter, he left for scans. During this period, Kohli was in top form, energising the bowlers, setting fields, and engaging animatedly with Rishabh Pant and KL Rahul. Captain Kohli was back in action.
With Australia’s lower-order batting, particularly after Alex Carey’s dismissal, Kohli deployed an aggressive field. There was a slip and a leg slip for Ravindra Jadeja against a well-settled Beau Webster, who was on 41. Without Bumrah’s bowling, Kohli turned to Nitish Kumar Reddy for a four-over spell, which resulted in the crucial wickets of Pat Cummins for 10 and Mitchell Starc for 1. Kohli then brought back Prasidh Krishna, who was playing his first Test of the tour, and he claimed Webster for his third wicket. It was all-out attack from India on the field. Kohli then called upon Siraj, who dismissed Scott Boland for 4, helping India bowl Australia out for 181 to secure a four-run lead.
The SCG saw frequent field adjustments, tactical nuances, and a bit of aggression, particularly when Nathan Lyon, who scored 41 in the second innings of the Boxing Day Test, was at the crease. Kohli, while polishing the ball, approached the stumps to glare at Lyon before tossing the ball back to the bowler, clearly making his presence felt.
India managed a slender lead, which might not be significant in the grand scheme of things, but could offer a psychological edge. However, India’s batters again struggled to convert starts; Rahul was out for 13 followed by Yashasvi Jaiswal for 22. Kohli, perhaps in his last appearance at the SCG in whites, was dismissed after nudging another delivery to the slips. Shubman Gill also failed, out for 13, while Rishabh Pant was the highlight with a blistering 61 off 33 balls at a strike-rate of 184.85.
India ended the day at 141/6, leading by 145. Bumrah’s availability in the second innings remains uncertain, and it’s yet to be seen if India can secure a memorable victory at the SCG to retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
Also Read: I am not retiring, dropped myself in Sydney: Rohit Sharma