Virat Kohli fell prey to the outside off-stump trap once again, getting dismissed for just six runs off 12 balls in India’s second innings against Australia. This is the eighth consecutive dismissal of Kohli outside the off-stump in this series and has been a cause of concern that has affected his form in all the matches so far.
On the last match of the series, with India planning to register a telling victory lead, hopes that crossed his mind once more when Scott Boland teased him into an ill-fated shot. For the first time, Kohli was not his self composed in expressing dismay after he got out. His face was contorted with utter disgust as he walked off the field, clearly distraught at not being able to break the sequence of dismissals that has left him vulnerable to outside off stump deliveries.
The manner of his dismissal, poking at a ball outside the off-stump with hard hands, has been a recurring theme in his recent innings. Despite Kohli’s wealth of experience, this technical weakness continues to be exploited by bowlers, and it has cost India a crucial opportunity to build a substantial lead.
Watch the video here:
The Scott Boland show is delivering at the SCG!
He’s got Virat Kohli now. #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/12xG5IWL2j
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) January 4, 2025
Pant’s Heroics Keep India’s Hopes Alive
While Kohli’s failure was a stark contrast, it was Rishabh Pant’s scintillating innings that gave the visitors hope. Pant’s explosive 61-run knock, with four massive sixes and six boundaries, helped India reach 141/6 at the end of the second day, still 145 runs ahead. Pant’s fearlessness was seen in his batting as he sent Mitchell Starc’s deliveries into the Ladies Members Stands, hitting back-to-back sixes.
The counter-attacking game of Pant almost prevented India from disintigrating in the second innings as the tail batters found it extremely hard to play against an attack as strong as Australia’s on a track offering both seam and bounce. This helped keep the fight of Indians alive.
Indian Bowlers Shine On Difficult Track
Earlier, India’s bowlers had done a great job to restrict Australia to a low total of 181 runs in their first innings. Mohammed Siraj, Jasprit Bumrah, and the two youngsters Prasidh Krishna and Nitish Reddy together did a good job to keep Australia to a small total, where Krishna took 3/42, Reddy 2/32, and Siraj 3/51. The collective effort gave India a narrow first-innings lead and gave them a platform to build upon.
Bumrah Injury Bites The Dust
However, the chances now rest on captain Jasprit Bumrah in getting India a game-winning comeback on Day 3. Since Bumrah walked off field after just a single over while batting in post-lunch sessions, precautionary scans were suggested to him without declaring what injury might have caused discomfort. The future plans for India might well depend upon those scans that come out from there.
If Bumrah is not fully fit, it could significantly affect India’s bowling attack and their ability to defend a target, especially considering the difficult track and variable bounce. However, even a partially fit Bumrah could make it tough for Australia to chase down a target of 175 runs or more, as the pitch continues to show signs of wear and tear.
It will be Day 3 when India’s fate will be decided: whether their key bowlers can continue their rhythm and the fitness of Bumrah. For Australia, it is still a steep hill to climb to chase down a difficult target in conditions that still favor their seam bowlers at various points.
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