NEW DELHI: When Mitchell Starc unleashed a fiery spell on the morning of Day 3, he quickly dismissed young batters Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill, leaving India in a precarious position. Naturally, all eyes turned to their star batter, Virat Kohli. Known for his ability to thrive under pressure and rescue his team in challenging situations against any bowling attack, Kohli was expected to step up as the saviour.
However, Kohli’s innings was short-lived as Australian pacer Josh Hazlewood got the better of him. Kohli, who managed just three runs off 16 balls, edged a delivery from Hazlewood to be caught behind.
Kohli’s scores on this tour read 5, 100 not out, 7, 11, and 3, reflecting his struggles with the bat.
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Amid Kohli’s lean patch, former India cricketer Deep Dasgupta offered advice during his appearance on Star Sports.
“This is a mental issue, not a technical one,” Dasgupta said.
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“As a player of your stature, it’s important to sometimes play within your boundaries. Everyone knows what you’re capable of—you’ve already proven your greatness over the last 10-15 years. There’s nothing left to prove. But occasionally, you need to focus on staying within your limits. Once you find your rhythm, you can gradually expand those limits. For the first 20 balls, forget about your favourite shot. Forget the cover drive that your fans love. Just put it aside for those 20 balls,” he added.
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Earlier in the day, Australia resumed their innings at 405 for seven, adding 40 runs before losing their remaining three wickets. Jasprit Bumrah shone with the ball, claiming figures of 6-76.
In reply, India found themselves in deep trouble at 48 for four, trailing Australia’s first-innings total by 397 runs. Opener KL Rahul remained unbeaten on 30, with skipper Rohit Sharma yet to open his account.
