In a dramatic moment during the fifth and final Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy at the Sydney Cricket Ground, Virat Kohli narrowly avoided a golden duck. The incident unfolded in the morning session on January 3, as Scott Boland delivered a superb ball that edged Kohli’s bat.
The ball zipped towards the first slip, where Steve Smith dived to his right in an attempt to grab it. However, the ball grazed the ground before Smith could secure it. After several replays, third umpire Joel Wilson declared Kohli not out, allowing the Indian batter to continue his innings.
Kohli’s Form Under Scrutiny
The drop gave Kohli a lifeline, but his recent performances have been inconsistent. Despite scoring a century in the first Test in Perth, his other outings in the series have been disappointing. Scores of 5, 7, 11, 3, 36, and 5 highlight his struggles with consistency.
Kohli walked in to bat after Scott Boland dismissed Yashasvi Jaiswal in his opening over. Jaiswal, who had been a standout performer in the Boxing Day Test, managed just 10 runs before being caught in the slips by Australian debutant Beau Webster.
Webster, making his debut in place of Mitchell Marsh, immediately made an impact. Marsh had failed in the previous game, scoring a four-ball duck in the second innings. Webster’s sharp fielding has already proved valuable for the 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 growing stature in international cricket.
KL Rahul’s Struggles Continue
Indian opener KL Rahul’s woes with the bat persisted. He managed only four runs before falling to a simple catch by Sam Konstas in the fifth over. Rahul, who faced just 14 balls, handed the Australians early momentum.
India’s decision to bat first, taken by stand-in skipper Jasprit Bumrah, seemed to backfire initially. Losing two quick wickets put the team on the back foot in a must-win encounter.
Bumrah Leads in Rohit’s Absence
With Rohit Sharma opting to rest for this game, Jasprit Bumrah stepped in as captain. During the toss, Bumrah emphasized the team’s unity.
“Our captain (Rohit Sharma) has shown leadership. He’s opted to rest in this game. That shows there’s a lot of unity in our team. There’s no selfishness. Whatever is in the team’s best interest, we’re looking to do that,” Bumrah said.
India made two changes for this Test. Shubman Gill replaced Rohit Sharma in the XI, while Prasidh Krishna filled in for the injured Akash Deep.
This Test holds immense significance for India’s World Test Championship ambitions. A victory would keep their hopes alive, but a loss or draw would eliminate them from contention.
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