Adelaide: Virat Kohli’s enduring love affair with Adelaide Oval resulted in a classy 74. However, his untimely run-out Thursday triggered a batting collapse for India. The visitors ended the opening day at 233 for six against Australia in the first Day/Night Test here. Virat Kohli (74, 180b, 8×4) looked in complete command and was motoring on well. He was run out when his deputy Ajinkya Rahane backed out after calling for a single. The dismissal was at a crucial juncture and it happened just before the second new ball was taken.
From a comfortable 188 for three, India slumped to 206 for six as Rahane (42, 92b, 3×4, 1×6) and Hanuma Vihari (16) found the pace and swing generated by the pink ball under lights too hot to handle. Ravichandran Ashwin (15 batting) and Wriddhiman Saha (nine batting) saw off the final few overs and also got a few runs.
In conditions, which can’t exactly be called batting friendly, Kohli blended the right amount of caution and aggression. He showed one and all that he is a few light years ahead of his peers when it comes to quality batsmanship.
Cheteshwar Pujara (43, 160b, 2×4) let the bowlers dictate terms with an ultra-defensive approach. However, his skipper gave opposition the respect it deserved but also from time to time, played those shots to drive home a point. His 88-run partnership with Rahane during the final session nearly put India on even keel. But fortunes tilted once Kohli was back in the pavilion.
Rahane was soon snapped with the second new ball by Mitchell Starc (2/49), easily the best bowler in action.
The knock will certainly be among the Indian captain’s favourites as he hit three kinds of pull-shots to the pacers – two off Starc and one off Josh Hazlewood (1/47). There was also a classical cover-drive that brought his half-century.
Earlier, Pujara’s ultra-defensive approach became his own undoing as India literally crawled during the first two sessions. So intent was Pujara on blocking anything and leaving everything for the better part of his innings that a 68-run stand for the third wicket with Kohli couldn’t release pressure going into the second break of the evening.
It became a battle of attrition between Pujara and star spinner Nathan Lyon (1/68) during the post-dinner session. It made for a fascinating hour of Test cricket, a throwback to the good old days when batsmen would plonk their front-foot with a big stride forward and use their pads as the first line of defence.
Pujara did hit Lyon for a couple of boundaries trying to break the shackles. But then came a classical off-break which had both turn and bounce and the bat-pad fielder Marnus Labuschagne, at leg-gully, lunged forward to take an easy catch.
When Pujara used more pads against Lyon, his skipper played the copybook forward defence, presenting his bat first. When an opportunity came along, he punched over Lyon’s head for a boundary.
In the morning, Prithvi Shaw’s (0) poor technique was once again exposed by Starc while Mayank Agarwal (17) got a beauty from Pat Cummins.
Brief scores: India 233 for six (Virat Kohli 74, Cheteshwar Pujara 43, Ajinkya Rahane 42, Mitchell Starc 2/49). Match to continue.
