In a dramatic moment during the fifth and final test of Border Trophy-Gavaskar at the Sydney Cricket Ground, Virat Kohli narrowly avoid a golden duck. The incident unfolded in the morning session on January 3, as Scott Boland bowled a brilliant ball that hit Kohli's bat.
The ball was pitched towards first slip, where Steve Smith dived to his right to try to catch him. However, the ball grazed the ground before Smith secured it. After several replays, third umpire Joel Wilson declared that Kohli would not be out, allowing the Indian bowler to continue his innings.
Virat Kohli’s first ball in the 5th Test… Out or Not Out? 🏏 Your call! 👀#ViratKohli #5thTest #OutOrNotOut #CricketTwitter #KingKohli #CricketBuzz #AUSvsIND @cricbuzz @DineshKarthik @gilly381 @stevesmith49 @bhogleharsha pic.twitter.com/WkR1CVxXgQ
— daniel (@rokkaladaniel) January 3, 2025
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 came into bat after the dismissal of Scott Boland Yashasvi Jaiswal at its opening. Jaiswal, who had been a standout performer in the Boxing Day Test, managed just 10 runs before being caught at slip by Australian debutant Beau Webster.
Webster, making his debut instead Mitchell Marshmade an immediate impact. Marsh had failed in the previous match, scoring a four-ball duck in the second innings. Webster's keen field 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 growing stature in international cricket.
KL Rahul's efforts continue
Indian opener KL Rahul's the ordeal with the bat continued. He managed just four runs before falling to a simple catch by Sam Konstas in the fifth over. Rahul, who faced just 14 balls, gave the Australians the early momentum.
India's decision to sit first was taken by the captain jasprit bumrahit seemed to fail at first. The loss of 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 unity of the team.
“Our captain (Rohit Sharma) has shown leadership. He has chosen to rest in this game. This shows that there is a lot of unity in our team. There is no selfishness. Whatever is in the best interest of the team, we are looking to do it,” said Bumrah.
INDIA made two changes for this Test. Shubman Gill is replaced Rohit Sharma in the XI, while Prasidh Krishna filled in for the injured Akash Deep.
This Test is of great importance to India's World Test Championship ambitions. A win would keep their hopes alive, but a loss or draw would eliminate them from the competition.
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