The off-side demons in Test cricket have shown no intent of their will to stop haunting Virat Kohli. For probably the 6th time this series, Kohli gave in to his instincts of playing the outside-off delivery to pace bowlers, as he fell to an in-form Scott Boland on Day 1 of the 5th Test of the series against Australia in Sydney. Following his dismissal in the first innings of the Sydney Test, Kohli incurred another low score in the series, with his scores in the series reading 5, 100*, 7, 11, 3, 36, 5, and now 17.
Kohli recieved an early lifline on the very first delivery he faced, as Steve Smith dropped his catch in the slips. Kohli went on to score 17 runs from 69 balls but his time in the middle eventually met the same fate.
As Virat headed back to the dressing room, loud boos at the SCG surrounded him. Here’s the video
Loud boos ring around the SCG, as Virat Kohli walks in, for the final time at this famous ground.#INDvsAUS pic.twitter.com/bvCtIDStI8
— Vijay A (@VAAChandran) January 3, 2025
While Kohli (17 off 69 balls) could have been dismissed off the very first delivery from Scott Boland, the seamer did have the last laugh in the post lunch session when the batter jabbed at a delivery on the off-stump channel for the zillionth time to get snapped in the slip cordon.
If one takes away the second innings hundred at Perth out of his last 20 Test innings, Kohli has managed an average of 17.57.
As far as Pant is concerned, the “honest conversations” with head coach Gautam Gambhir seems to have worked with southpaw respecting the game situation save once when he tried to charge down to a Pat Cummins delivery without much result.
But the six off debutant Webster and the back cut boundary just before tea off Nathan Lyon (1/13 in 4 overs) would give him confidence despite the “blood tattoo” created on his left bicep by Boland, the best Aussie bowler on view.
If Pant was disciplined, Shubman Gill‘s indiscreet judgement on the last delivery before lunch did cause trouble for India.
Gill (20 off 64 balls) did all the hardwork for close to couple of hours before stepping out to Nathan Lyon on the last ball of the session only to be caught at first slip.
KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal, back as an opening pair, were dismissed within the first hour of play after Jasprit Bumrah opted to bat under overcast conditions.
With PTI Inputs
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