It’s 2024, but the scene was strikingly similar to that of 2014. Just that on this occasion in Perth, there was relief on Virat Kohli’s face as he raised his bat and blew a kiss to wife Anushka Sharma, who was all smiles and lauding from the stands of the Perth Stadium after the former registered his 30th Test hundred on Sunday.
Ten years ago on the tour Down Under, Kohli celebrated in a similar manner as he scored those four centuries. But that was a Kohli intent on making a statement on his way to attaining the ‘great’ status.
There has been talk of diminishing reflexes of the 36-year-old, more so as he managed just three Test centuries since 2020. His army of fans would not agree, but many thought it was sunset time for the master. But his unbeaten 100 on Sunday, Day III of the opening Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, is perhaps the right pill to address Kohli’s woes. It was his first century since the 121 in Port of Spain 16 months ago against a weak West Indies attack.
Since Day II of the ongoing Test, the Perth pitch looked much better for batting compared to how it was on the opening day. Besides, stand-in captain Jasprit Bumrah with the ball and then the 201-run opening stand by Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul in the second essay had put India in command much before Kohli had even arrived at the crease.
The current Australian pace attack of Mitchell Starc, captain Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood lacked ideas. They aren’t getting any younger and there are already talks of replacing one of them (not Cummins) going forward in the series. Hazlewood aside, the other bowlers just seemed to be going through the motions in good batting conditions with no Plan B.
Everything thus was in favour of Kohli, who took the crease when India’s lead was already 321 with eight wickets in hand. But even then, a Test hundred doesn’t come just like that. It needs a lot of work on the crease.
Kohli would also thank skipper Bumrah, who could well have declared the innings once India’s lead passed 450, without allowing Kohli the time to reach the three-figure mark.
However, to give Kohli his due, he did well to put his ego aside and play second fiddle to Jaiswal in the initial stage of his innings. He drove outside the off-stump only when he judged the length right and more importantly, focused more on rotating the strike till reaching his half-century.
His team needed to have a crack at the Australian batters at the fag end of the day, so Kohli upped the ante after crossing 50. Against a tiring attack, the boundaries flowed, along with a six off off-spinner Nathan Lyon as Kohli registered his seventh Test ton in Australia, the most by an Indian cricketer, surpassing Sachin Tendulkar.
Jaiswal’s 161 outshone Kohli’s unbeaten 100. But the former India captain has regained form at the right time, which certainly bodes well for both him and the team for the remainder of the series.
“I just wanted to contribute to the team’s cause as I don’t want to hang around just for the sake of it. I take pride in performing for the country,” Kohli told Fox Cricket later.
India should be strengthened when they go into the second Test in Adelaide beginning on December 6. Regular captain Rohit Sharma is set to be back in the XI, while Shubman Gill too is recovering and should return to the No.3 slot.
A back-in-form Kohli puts India in very good space for the pink ball day-night Test.
