It’s final! Kohli stars as Indian juggernaut rolls over Aussies
New Delhi: It was important to exorcise the ghosts of the past. Memories from the ODI World Cup loss on November 19, 2023 have been hurting each day. On Tuesday, Team India delivered the knockout punch to storm into the Champions Trophy final. To defeat the cocky Aussies by four wickets was important and defining in many ways.
Looking back, it is easy to say the man who stole the show was 36-year-old Virat Kohli. He is in blazing form after that ton against Pakistan in the lung opener. Most importantly, on the big stage and under big pressure, Kohli batted like a true maestro to score 84 runs. Each one of the runs Kohli scored was guilt-edged, as he set the template for India to win a match which means so much to every fan of Indian cricket. Kohli was in a champion mood and uncorked champagne shots. No, it was not about lusty hitting but how he scripted a patent ODI knock. This entailed staying at the crease for as long as possible, though the heart craved for a century from him. Sadly, in attempting a big shot, he mistimed and gave his wicket to Adam Zampa, caught by Ben Dwarshuis.
Indeed, Zampa was the danger man for India. The wily spinner could have played havoc in sticky conditions under arc lights where batting second was not easy. But then, having played all their matches in Dubai, India decoded the Aussies and scripted a great chase. To be sure, there were many heroes for India tonight. First, the batters. If Kohli was all about being calm and plotting it like a King, Shreyas Iyer (45), KL Rahul and Hardik Pandya turned terminators. There was also a sweet knock from Axar Patel, who scored 27 off 30 balls.
If Kohli had captured the mood with his presence, aura and batting strength, for him to stay and face 98 deliveries defined how a chase could be mastered. He is the master of chases, but each partnership he had figured in was very important. As for Shreyas Iyer, to say that he is a revelation would be discrediting him. He deserves more than what he has got from the BCCI but that is the way life is for Shreyas. He has played like an underdog. But after his performances in recent matches at the No.4 position, there is no doubt he is a genuine talent.
There was pressure building up once Kohli got put, and it was more psychological. Give the Aussies an inch and they will grab a mile. That is when the two master blasters KL Rahul and Hardik Pandya exploded into brilliance to guide towards the finish line for India. KL Rahul was uneaten on 42, a knock which has defined him as a batter who values his wicket. But the real big burst came from Hardik Pandya who smashed three sixes, and a four in his 28 runs. His aggro was phenomenal and each of his sixes was a delight to watch.
For India to gain revenge over Australia was important.
Earlier in the day, the Indian bowlers strove hard. Once Travis Head was consumed for 39 runs, falling to mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy, the team heaved a sigh of relief. Head has been a headache for India and to get rid of him was important. At No.3 Steve Smith played a knock of immense application and grit, as he scored 73. But then there was one man who has shone brilliantly in the absence of Jasprit Bumrah, Mohd Shami. Shami bowled a full length and probed the Aussies to take wickets. It was important for Shami to strike at the opportune moments. With four spinners in play and offering so much variety, skipper Rohit Sharma had so much resources at his disposal. Each one was a different threat, Varun, Axar Patel, and Ravindra Jadeja. The fielding, too, was top class where Shreyas again showed an electric presence when he effected a key runout of Alex Carey.
