Kohli gone early, controversy flares in disastrous batting display ...
India’s quest to conquer Australia again on their own turf began disastrously on an opening day of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy during which Virat Kohli was removed cheaply and batting stalwart KL Rahul was involved in a controversial third-umpire decision.
After winning the toss and electing to bat, the tourists were bowled out for 150 just before tea at Perth Stadium despite some audacious strokeplay from Rishabh Pant.
Josh Hazlewood was the star of the day, finishing with 4-29. That included the prized scalp of Kohli after a fascinating 10-ball battle that the right-armer won comprehensively.
It was India’s equal-worst first innings total - in the first innings of a match - against Australia in Australia.
Opener Yashasvi Jaiswal and No.3 Devdutt Padikkal both failed to scored, from eight and 23 balls respectively, in their first Test innings in Australia.
Having earlier been presented with his first baggy green cap by former Test coach Darren Lehmann, debutant Nathan McSweeney needed just 13 balls to get into the action. He comfortably took a catch at gully off the bowling of Mitchell Starc to remove Jaiswal for Australia’s first wicket.
India’s young prodigy, coming into the series with a Test average of 56.28, went hard at a ball outside his off stump but was unable to control it.
Starc and Hazlewood (both 2-10 off eight overs) were brilliant in the opening session on a bouncy Perth pitch, with the latter removing Padikkal after a miserable 39-minute stay at the crease.
Padikkal’s dismissal brought Kohli to the crease at 2-14, a situation which was far from ideal for the Indian superstar given his woes of late. Kohli has been a shade of his former self in the last five years, making just two centuries.
Hazlewood worked Kohli over before India’s most dangerous batter guided a rising delivery to Usman Khawaja at first slip to depart for five from 12 balls.
Since India’s second Test against New Zealand in October, Kohli has posted scores of 1, 17, 4, 1 and 5.
Australia celebrate after Josh Hazlewood’s dismissal of Virat Kohli.Credit: AP
Kohli’s premature departure left India reeling at 3-32, and their predicament worsened when Rahul was adjudged caught behind for 26.
Australia thought Rahul had nicked a delivery from Starc, but it was initially given not out. The home side immediately referred the decision upstairs, and it was duly overturned after snicko showed a spike as the ball went past the bat.
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Rahul, however, clearly felt the bat had hit his pad on the way through, and the decision left him visibly upset as he walked from the field shaking his head after appearing to remonstrate in the umpires’ direction.
Initial replays on the broadcast did not show footage of the ball going past the bat, raising questions as to whether snicko had picked up the sound of bat hitting pad. Hotspot no longer exists, with broadcasters using snicko and providing replays to the third umpire to make decisions.
“The umpire is looking for conclusive evidence and there were a few gremlins … where he didn’t get a few camera angles that he wanted,” said former Test umpire Simon Taufel on Channel 7. “In my view, the ball does graze the outside edge. With that side on shot, there was a spike with the bat away from the pad.”
Pant didn’t want Australia’s bowlers to settle and came out with an aggressive mindset. He used his crease and attacked to all parts of the ground before edging Cummins to Steve Smith at second slip for 37. From there, India crumbled to lose 4-29 in a meek opening showing of the series.
Cummins, Starc and Mitch Marsh all snared two wickets apiece to give Australia a fighting chance of going up 1-0 at a ground they have never lost a Test at.
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