Virat Kohli carries the dream of a billion Indians. Not since Sachin Tendulkar has any individual been burdened by such weight of expectations. Yet he faces the wrath whenever he fails to deliver since he is never allowed to let the nation down. Failure is not a word in the lexicon of the genius.
The 90,000-plus at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Sunday evening revelled in his artistry. In the land of Donald Bradman, he played an innings that would probably put to shame the purists who believe T20 cricket is not for the technically perfect. He proved he was one of the greatest of them all.
Kohli’s 82 not out off 53 balls not just provided a thumping start — a four-wicket victory over Pakistan off the last ball — to India’s campaign, it drew a tear from his eye. Once Ravichandran Ashwin hit the winning run, he let out a roar, went down on his knees, punched the ground and whizzed around in ecstasy. He seemed an unstoppable force at the MCG which only Newton’s laws of motion could best define.
Arshdeep Singh’s steely look after dismissing Pakistan captain Babar Azam in Melbourne on Sunday. AP/PTI
Mobbed by teammates, he raised his finger towards the night sky. A year ago he was blamed for the loss in World Cup, gave up captaincy and was ridiculed for his slump. Was this an answer to his critics?
On a tricky MCG wicket where the ball bounced alarmingly and provided scary swing and pace, Pakistan seemed like taking the match away as India struggled in their chase of 160. Rohit Sharma’s men had crawled to 45 for four in the first 10 overs, needing another 115 in the remaining 10.
It had been a bit of a struggle for Kohli as he scampered to 12 off 21 balls. Hardik Pandya had played only 11 balls and India’s fortunes hinged on this pair. Haris Rauf, who starred for the Melbourne Stars in the Big Bash, had adapted to the ‘home’ conditions perfectly, spitting venom with his pace.
The first hint of attack came in the 12th over when three sixes came off Mohammad Nawaz — two flat ones from Pandya while Kohli stepped out and lofted him straight out of the ground.
Still, it wasn’t easy. India went into the final three overs needing 48 runs. Seventeen runs came off the 18th over from Afridi. Another 31 were needed off the last two, including one over remaining off the menacing Rauf.
His first four balls fetched only three runs but Kohli wasn’t done yet and exploded into his best. Two consecutive sixes flowed off his blade off the last two balls. The first one was a climbing back-ofa-length slower delivery and Kohli plucked it out with a straight bat over the bowler’s head. With sheer timing and brute power, he had cleared the world’s biggest boundary, and that too against one which had little pace.
Kohli caused the boisterous crowd to explode again off the next ball when he sailed it over fine leg with a flick of the wrists. From 28 needed off eight, the equation had come down to 16 off six.
Nawaz was called to bowl the final over of the match. Pandya was dismissed off the first ball, ending a 113-run association for the fifth wicket.
Kohli then swatted Nawaz’s full toss over the square-leg boundary and instantly demanded a no-ball since he thought it was above the waist. Pakistan protested but the umpires gave in to Kohli’s demand. India now needed six from three.
Nawaz dislodged the bails once Kohli miscued a sweep off a free-hit but Kohli and Dinesh Karthik sprinted for three byes. Babar and teammates protested again since they felt the ball should’ve been declared dead once it had hit the stumps, but the umpires disagreed.
The equation was down to two from two now and then Karthik was stumped with a ball remaining and Kohli at the non-striker’s end. Two off one now.
The drama wasn’t over yet. Nawaz bowled a wide and Ashwin sensing it going down the leg side just let it pass. With seven fielders inside the circle, Ashwin just chipped the next ball over the infield to send the raucous MCG crowd into a frenzy.
Talking point
⚫ Virat Kohli has always loved the Australian conditions. He has revelled on the bouncy and pacy wickets Down Under since his first visit in 2011.On Sunday, he proved once again why he is considered the best and excels on such big occasions.
⚫ The former skipper’s 82 not out off 53 balls has provided the perfect start to India’s campaign. Having been thrashed by the same opponents in their opening campaign in last year’s World Cup in the UAE, Kohli seemed determined to make amends.
⚫ This match could have been a celebration of two of the world’s best batters. Babar Azam fell for a golden duck, but Kohli knocked around as his teammates struggled.
⚫ He moved into top gear from the 12th over and tore into Pakistan’s most successful pacer on the day, Haris Rauf. Two consecutive sixes came off Rauf’s last two deliveries of the match.
⚫ Kohli found an able ally in Hardik Pandya. Two bold and attacking batters showed the way forward for India when the others flopped. Their 113- run association had put the chase back on track after only45 runs came off the first 10 overs.
⚫ Arshdeep Singh and Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s superb spells did pale in comparison to Kohli’s innings on the day but went a long way in restricting Pakistan in the early stages. Young Arshdeep removedBabar with his first ball and then accounted for Mohammad Rizwan and Asif Ali.
⚫ Last month at the Asia Cup, he was ridiculed on social media after dropping a catch in the dying moments of a very tight game against Pakistan. The 23-year-old left-arm pacer showed the character to bounce back.