In a dramatic moment during the fifth and final Test Granica-Gavaskar Trophy at the Sydney Cricket Ground, Virat Kohli narrowly avoided the golden duck. The incident unfolded in the morning slot on January 3, when Scott Boland delivered an excellent ball that hit Kohli’s bat.
The ball headed towards first slip, where it is Steve Smith dived to the right in an attempt to grab it. However, the ball skimmed the ground before Smith could secure it. After several replays, third umpire Joel Wilson declared Kohli not out, allowing the Indian batsman to continue his innings.
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Kohli’s form under scrutiny
The fall gave Kohli a lifeline, but his recent performances have been inconsistent. Despite scoring a hundred per cent in the first Test in Perth, his other performances in the series were disappointing. Scores of 5, 7, 11, 3, 36 and 5 highlight his consistency issues.
Kohli came into bat after Scott Boland was dismissed Yashasvi Jaiswal in his opening over. Jaiswal, who was a standout performer in the Boxing Day Test, managed just 10 runs before being caught in the wrong by Australian debutant Beau Webster.
Webster, debuting instead Mitchell Marshhe made an immediate impact. Marsh failed in the previous game, scoring a four-ball duck in the second innings. Webster’s sharp play has already proven valuable to Australians in this high-stakes match.
Meanwhile, Scott Boland’s fiery spell kept the Indian top-order under pressure. His delivery to Kohli was a testament to his rising status in international cricket.
KL Rahul’s struggles continue
Indian opener KL Rahul’s but with the bat they persisted. He managed just four runs before being caught simply by Sam Konstas in the fifth over. Rahul, who got off just 14 balls, gave the Aussies the early momentum.
India’s decision to bat first, taken by the stand-in skipper Jasprit Bumrahhe seemed to get around at first. The loss of two quick wickets put the team on the back foot in a must-win match.
Bumrah leads in Rohit’s absence
Since Rohit Sharma decided to rest for this match, Jasprit Bumrah stepped in as captain. During the draw, Bumrah emphasized the team’s unity.
“Our captain (Rohit Sharma) showed leadership. He decided to rest in this match. It shows that there is a lot of unity in our team. There is no selfishness. Whatever is in the best interest of the team, that’s what we want to do,” said Bumrah.
India made two changes for this test. Shubman Gill replaced Rohit Sharma in the XI, while Prasidh Krishna replaced the injured Akash Deep.
This Test holds immense significance for India’s Test World Cup ambitions. A win would keep their hopes alive, but a loss or draw would eliminate them from contention.
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