AUS vs. IND: Indian reply and 91-run lead are anchored by 186 from 364 balls, a study in
restraint.
AUS vs. IND: On an oddly cloudy day, an hour or so after midday, Virat Kohli was on 99 and
Nathan Lyon was beginning a new over when the clouds mysteriously parted to let the sun
beam over the stadium’s enormous bowl. The scene was created for Virat Kohli to be viewed
favourably by the world.
In order to have a better view of Kohli scoring his 100th Test run, which India had been
waiting three and a half years for, many in the higher levels hurried down the stairs.
The security guards stood alert, walkie-talkies held close to their mouths, for fear that one of
the brave in the frenzied mob could rush over the fence and bearhug Kohli. Almost 45,000
people chose to spend their Sunday at the Narendra Modi Stadium in the anticipation that
Virat Kohli, who was unbeaten at 59 at Saturday’s pitch, would add at least 41 more runs.
Kohli took his time, but he still managed to score those runs. On the second ball of Lyon’s
53rd over during the second session of the day, which began an hour and a half after lunch,
he reached his hundred. Following his unremarkable single to square to reach his much
anticipated 28th Test hundred, there was a low-key but heartfelt celebration.
The slightest criticism would have caused a younger Kohli to lose his cool, become anxious,
and curse out when he reached 100. At age 34, he has evolved. Kohli was restrained
despite losing the captaincy and being relentlessly mocked for his protracted Test century
drought. He smiled warmly, raised his hands halfway, and searched beneath his
sweat-stained shirt for the wedding band that hung from the chain around his neck. He
would kiss the gleaming band to end the festivities.
The Kohli 100 was virtually a double tonne for the crowd that came to watch it. He hit 186
runs off 364 balls, guiding India to a dominant 571 and a 91-run first-innings advantage.The
long Kohli effort came to an end with a worn-out heave to deep mid-wicket because he was
out of partners and India wanted to put pressure on Australia. He would lift the bat to the
bleachers before beginning the gradual ascent to the dressing room. It was both a
demanding and rewarding day. He hasn’t recently experienced such days.
He had played 15 home Tests and toured every cricketing nation in search of that elusive
hundred, but his highest score was only 82. He had also played in New Zealand, Australia,
England, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka. He had previously been ranked first among Test run
earners, but his downturn was causing him to fall off the podium.
His average, which had earlier been in the mid-50s and was therefore required to be referred
to be an all-time Test great, was now very nearly 48. Even his contemporaries, Englishman
Joe Root and Australian Steve Smith, had outpaced him. Kohli was nearly 1,500 runs behind
Root after the latter had passed the 10,000-run mark. Root had hurriedly amassed 13
hundreds during the time that Kohli had his run-block.
Recently, Kohli seemed to have accepted his downgrading and the magnificent
unpredictability of cricket. He took a sabbatical from cricket around the end of last year, and
claims that this was the first time in his life that he did not pick up a bat. When he got back,
he talked about his weaknesses and how the publicity surrounding him had made him a
target.
He claimed that he had unconsciously begun to believe in the portrayal of him that his
marketing team had developed.
He would be shown in every pre-series advertisement with his signature frown and glaring at
the opposing captain. Also, the broadcaster would air a cartoon series on him. They’d refer
