Virat Kohli brought a wave of joy across the Sydney stands as he finally got off the mark in what could be his final match on Australian soil. The crowd erupted when Kohli scored his first runs of the series a quick single, and followed it up with a fist pump and smile.
Coming in after Shubman Gill’s dismissal, Kohli calmly pushed a delivery toward mid-on and sprinted for a single. The small moment drew huge cheers from fans who had been waiting to see India’s star batter get going again. Kohli’s relief was understandable after two rare ducks in the opening ODIs at Perth and Adelaide the first time in his career. He returned to the one-day series after a seven-month break.
Virat Kohli receives a standing ovation from the SCG crowd
Virat Kohli received a standing ovation at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) as he walked out to bat. The SCG crowd, aware that this could be Kohli’s final international innings in Australia, gave him a hero’s welcome. Gill departed for 24 (26), caught by Alex Carey off Hazlewood, leaving India at 69/1 after 10.2 overs.
Earlier, Harshit Rana starred with the ball, claiming a superb 4-wicket haul as India bowled out Australia for 236 at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG). The pacer finished with figures of 4/39 in 8.4 overs. Australia’s innings folded after a late collapse, losing five wickets in the final 10 overs for just 41 runs.
Kohli now stands a chance of becoming the second-highest run-scorer in ODI history. The former India skipper is set to surpass Kumar Sangakkara’s tally and sit just behind Sachin Tendulkar, who has 18,426 runs.
