Kohli’s epic knock helped India amass 571 in response to Australia’s first innings score of 480. Axar Patel plays counter-attacking 79 from 113 balls
Ahmedabad: India’s batting mainstay Virat Kohli finally ended a near 40-month wait for his 28th Test hundred as his 186 set up a gripping final day of the fourth Test against Australia here on Sunday, a PTI report in The Trribune, Chandigarh, say.
Kohli’s epic knock helped India amass 571 in response to Australia’s first innings score of 480
With a lead of 91 runs, India will have to go for the jugular on day five on a track where there is finally some turn and bounce.
A draw still looks the most likely result, but if any team wins the Test from here, it will be India, who would then go on to win the series 3-1 and directly qualify for the World Test Championship final, without having to wait on the fate of Sri Lanka’s Test series versus New Zealand.
As Kohli guided Nathan Lyon towards mid-wicket to complete his first Test hundred in front of 15,000 people present at Motera, it was a Sunday to remember. This was his 75th century iin international cricket, and it came off 241 balls.
The celebrations were muted as there was still some way to go before India would be in driver’s seat so he didn’t want to lose focus by getting elated.
It was an innings of different character from Kohli. Having had his troubles dealing with deliveries outside the off-stump, he traded caution in exchange of flair and hardly played those beastly cover drives till he reached his hundred.
There were shades of Sachin Tendulkar’s 241 at Sydney in 2004 in this innings of Kohli’s, when one compares the sheer discipline of the two knocks. Kohli showed tremendous patience on way to a gritty hundred before changing gears.
A supremely fit athlete, Kohli ran 84 singles, 18 doubles and twice he took three runs, including once when he was batting in his 160s. By sheer volume of running between the wickets, he collected 126 of his 186 runs with 15 hits to the fence.
It was an innings of different character from Kohli. Having had his troubles dealing with deliveries outside the off-stump, he traded caution in exchange of flair and hardly played those beastly cover drives till he reached his hundred.
Kohli was the ninth and last Indian player to be dismissed after his 364 ball knock that spanned over 8 hours and 36 minutes.
As he dragged his tired body towards the pavilion, rival skipper Steve Smith and bowler Todd Murphy along with other Aussie players came to shake his hands and the crowd near dressing room gave him a standing ovation.
He did have some significant partnerships but no better than the 162 that he added for the sixth wicket with an ever- improving Axar Patel (79 off 113 balls).
Never had Kohli shown determination of this kind.He decided to complete the coveted ton in singles and doubles and then hit 10 boundaries in his next 86 runs.
The first expansive cover drive only came in his 140s off Cameron Green.
Kona Bharat (44, 88 balls), who has had a dreadful run with the bat, looked impressive as he hit three sixes in his innings. In the post lunch session, it was Bharat who attacked, pulled and hooked Cameron Green for a couple of sixes His best shot was slog swept six off Nathan Lyon.
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