Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma do share a special connection with Australia as a country where they play their best cricket. This was made clear as the duo took time out after their match-winning 168-run partnership, with their pads still on, to address to Sydney crowd. Often maligned but just as often recipients of plenty of credit from a truly sporting nation, Kohli and Rohit have spent years entertaining Australia with their cricket – and their final knocks again earned them plaudits from the Australian media.
Rohit and Kohli ensured that India won the consolation game at the SCG in truly comfortable fashion, putting all their class on display to seal a nine-wicket victory with 12 overs to spare. It wasn’t a big or difficult chase by any means, but the batting on show was still remarkable. India had already lost the series, but the importance of the context surrounding the match led to Fox Cricket calling the match an ‘unforgettable dead rubber’.
Rohit was the star of the show, scoring a graceful 121* as he rolled back the years and reminded fans exactly what he is capable of doing in this format. It was a ‘sparkling century’, according to The Roar, and also a historic one as he became the tenth player in international cricket with 50 centuries across formats.
For Kohli, the first order of business was to get a run on the board, after two ducks in the first two matches. He did so with a hustling first-ball single, which he celebrated with a wry smile and a fist pump to Rohit. Big cheers from the Aussie crowd led to Fox also calling it a ‘cheeky first-ball act’. However, Fox Cricket also admitted it ‘set tone for Kohli ‘legacy’ knock’ at the SCG.
{{/usCountry}}For Kohli, the first order of business was to get a run on the board, after two ducks in the first two matches. He did so with a hustling first-ball single, which he celebrated with a wry smile and a fist pump to Rohit. Big cheers from the Aussie crowd led to Fox also calling it a ‘cheeky first-ball act’. However, Fox Cricket also admitted it ‘set tone for Kohli ‘legacy’ knock’ at the SCG.
{{/usCountry}}All in all, as Fox Cricket called it, it was certainly a ‘dream farewell’ as the two veteran cricketers showed that they still have that quality up their sleeves, after doubt had been cast regarding how rusty they were and whether being one-format players would affect them too much.
Headlines from Australian media after RoKo partnership
India snare dominant win over Australia after vintage Sharma, Kohli masterclass – Sydney Morning Herald
‘Fitting farewell’: Cheeky first-ball act sets tone for Kohli ‘legacy’ knock in unforgettable dead rubber – Fox Cricket
Dream farewell as SCG erupts for superstar Indian duo; Aussies dealt Ashes scare – Fox Cricket
Sharma makes Aussies pay for late collapse with sparkling century as Kohli ends duck streak in style – The Roar