India vs Australia: Virat Kohli 186 leaves Australia to battle for survival on final day of series
It was Virat Kohli’s day in Ahmedabad as the batting star enthralled the thousands of fans who had turned up to watch Sunday’s action in the 4th and final Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
Kohli missed out on a well-deserved double hundred, which could have been his 8th in Tests, but he posted his highest total against Australia.
By ending his 1204-day wait for a Test hundred, Virat Kohli also ensured he helped take out the possibility of an Indian loss in the series finale after Australia posted a mammoth total of 480 in the first innings. Kohli played a chanceless knock, hitting 186 as India posted 571, sealing a 91-run lead in the final session on Day 4 of the Test which has progressed at a snail’s pace so far.
Australia, who sent nightwatchman Matthew Kuhnemann to open the innings along with Travis Head, survived a few nervous moments toward the close of play as they went to Stumps at 3 for 0, still trailing by 88 runs.
The pitch at the Narendra Modi Stadium which was docile until the final hour on Day 4, did some tricks when Ravindra Jadeja and R Ashwin bowled 5 overs between them in the last 30 minutes. In fact, Kuhnemann was dropped in the penultimate over of the day by KS Bharat as Ashwin’s carrom-ball did not yield the desired result.
India’s batting was low in confidence after the first 3 Tests were played on rank-turners. And when Australia rallied on Usman Khawaja and Cameron Green’s hundreds, there was pressure on India. Much to the delight of the fans at home, India’s batting unit, especially the top-order stepped up big time with big hundreds from young Shubman Gill and senior man Virat Kohli.
The likes of Cheteshwar Pujara (42), KS Bharat (44), and Axar Patel (79) chipped in with crucial contributions as India batters made the Australian bowlers toil hard for their wickets over 2 days in hot conditions in Ahmedabad. India did not have Shreyas Iyer available to bat on Day 4 as the middle-order batter was taken for scans following a back injury scare.
KOHLI’S BIG GRIND IN AHMEDABAD
Virat Kohli began on a shaky note when he was beaten by the Australian spinners after he walked into bat following the dismissal of Cheteshwar Puijara before Tea on Day 3. However, Kohli grew into his knock, showcasing incredible control and discipline.
Run-scoring was not easy on a slow-paced pitch and Kohli was happy to knock it around and be content with periods of play wherein he did not make the scorer’s work.
Kohli was well-set in the first innings but the early dismissal of Ravindra Jadeja put him on the backfoot. The man curbed his instincts and scored just 29 runs in the first session in 92 balls. He added another 47 off 71 deliveries in the second session as he hit his second-slowest Test hundred (241 deliveries).
However, Kohli switched gears after getting to his hundred and took on the Australian attack with great suppot from Axar Patel, who chipped in with a crucial 79.
Kohli hit 15 boundaries, 10 of them coming after he got to his hundred as the former captain, according to his wife Anushka Sharma, battled illness to produce a masterful knock in Ahmedabad.
AXAR’s SELFLESS KNOCK
It was Axar Patel, who gave India the much-needed push in the final session. Axar got to his fifty, the third of the series, off 95 balls but his last 29 runs came in just 24 balls.
Axar hit 4 sixes and 5 boundaries for his 119-ball 79. Just when he was looking to belt Mitchell Starc in the pacer’s final spell of a long day, a slower delivery got the better of the left-hander. Axar looked dejected but got the applause of the crowd and the dressing room as he missed out on a well-deserved maiden hundred.
Virat Kohli ran out of partners as he tried to get to his 8th Test double hundred. However, in a bid to get to the landmark, Kohli got out on 186, caught at deep mid-wicket in Todd Murphy’s over.
Nathan Lyon bowled 65 overs for 3 wickets while Muphy 44.3 overs for his 2 wickets.