Virat Kohli's struggles with deliveries outside the off-stump were once again laid bare as he was dismissed the same way twice during the fifth and final Test in Sydney. Kohli scored a modest 17 in India's challenging first innings on day one, and could muster only six before edging to the slips again in the second. Kohli, who has been under intense scrutiny throughout the series, was undone by Scott Boland on both occasions, who found the perfect lengths to expose his weakness.
In the first innings, it was a ball that nipped away slightly, pitched just outside off-stump, and Kohli, looking to push at it, got an outside edge that was caught sharply by debutant Beau Webster at slip. This marked the 22nd time since 2021 that Kohli had been dismissed by pacers while fiddling with deliveries outside his off-stump, a recurring flaw in his technique that has left him vulnerable to balls that move away.
The dismissal was especially frustrating for Kohli, as he had been given a huge reprieve earlier in the innings. In a bizarre twist of fate, Kohli had survived a close call on the very first delivery after his arrival at the crease.
He edged a ball from Boland to Steve Smith at second slip, who dived low to his right and scooped the ball towards fourth slip, where Marnus Labuschagne completed the catch. However, after multiple replays, third umpire Joel Wilson ruled the ball had touched the ground before reaching Labuschagne, and Kohli was given not out.
In the second innings, Kohli faced a similar end, as Boland kept the similar line to entice Kohli into poking the ball for a push. The batter found an outside edge carried to the slip, resulting in his early departure again. Kohli was visibly frustrated with the dismissal, thumping his pad with the bat as he walked off the field.
Kohli's dismissal adds to Sydney drama
{{/usCountry}}In the second innings, Kohli faced a similar end, as Boland kept the similar line to entice Kohli into poking the ball for a push. The batter found an outside edge carried to the slip, resulting in his early departure again. Kohli was visibly frustrated with the dismissal, thumping his pad with the bat as he walked off the field.
Kohli's dismissal adds to Sydney drama
{{/usCountry}}This early wicket came amid dramatic developments off the field. Indian captain Rohit Sharma ‘opted out’ of the final Test after his poor form dominated the build-up to the match. Jasprit Bumrah took over as captain for the fifth Test, having previously led the team in the series opener when Rohit took paternity leave.
The move raised questions over the future of the 37-year-old Rohit, who has failed to score more than 10 runs in his five innings this series. Kohli's own pressure to deliver was high, having failed to build on his lone hundred in the series at Perth.
With India trailing 1-2 in the series, the weight of expectation only increased as the team sought to keep their hopes of retaining the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.