Shades of Virat Kohli the captain was on display as India pushed for a result against Australia on Day 5 of the fourth and final Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy on Monday at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. Kohli, who, stepped down as India skipper from all formats back in January of 2022, put on the captaincy hat during an intense chat with Axar Patel. With India bowling on a Day 5 surface, spinners Axar, Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja are looking to land the ball on the rough created over the previous four days, and between overs as the players regrouped, Kohli gave some rather animated instructions to Axar as Rohit Sharma looked on.
Unlike the first three and a half day, there has been some life injected in the Ahmedabad surface with the ball doing something for the spinners. Although Australia lost just one wicket so far in the first session, there have been quite a few close calls for India, with the ball jumping off the rough and troubling the batters. Some have hit the bad, struck Travis Head and Marnus Labuschagne on the gloves and had there been a forward short-leg, India could have had a second wicket.
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Which is perhaps why Virat Kohli in between overs, walked up to Axar and pointed out towards a certain area on the pitch asking him to land the ball precisely at that very point. Such was the dedication of Kohli that even though Rohit stepped in, he was content taking the backset and allow Virat to dictate proceedings.
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{{/usCountry}}India are going to get in and around this area that is somehow outside off-stump... maybe a foot and a half outside. Just tempt Marnus Labuschagne to play through covers," Matthew Hayden said while doing commentary.
His partner Sunil Gavaskar then chipped in: "Yes I think they are talking about the length and line. But that's not the line for the left-hander, it will be to a right-hander. If it's to a left-hander it will mean that the ball will turn away quite safely. I think for the right hander, Ashwin, that line would be more beneficial."
India did not have to wait too long ton get a breakthrough. After KS Bharat dropped a catch of Matthew Kuhnemann, Ravichandran Ashwin sent the nightwatchman packing by getting him out LBW for 6. However, Head and Labuschagne played out the session without any further damage taking Australia to 73/1 at lunch on Day 5, trailing by 18 runs.