Confusion on field leads to a quick collapse, leaving India reeling at 164 for 5, trailing Australia by 310 runs
MELBOURNE: Day two of the fourth Test in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy featured a promising start for India, but a crucial mix-up between veteran Virat Kohli and opener Yashasvi Jaiswal derailed their momentum dramatically. The incident occurred during the 41st over when the duo had combined for an impressive 102-run partnership, guiding India’s response to Australia’s first innings score of 474, bolstered by an outstanding 140 from Steve Smith.
Jaiswal, who was batting confidently on 82, flicked a delivery from Scott Boland toward Pat Cummins at mid-on and set off for a run without hesitation. However, Kohli, stationed at the non-striker’s end, declined to take the run and turned his back on Jaiswal. This led to Jaiswal being stranded, ultimately resulting in his dismissal and sparking a collapse that left India reeling at 164 for 5 by the end of the second day.
After the mix-up, Jaiswal walked off looking dejected, while Kohli, initially unfazed, soon lost his wicket as well, edging a catch to Boland just seven balls later. Kohli’s dismissal, amidst boos from a record Melbourne crowd, left India in a precarious position, trailing by 310 runs while Rishabh Pant (6 not out) and Ravindra Jadeja (4 not out) prepared to resume the fight on Saturday.
Earlier in the innings, India’s woes were compounded by the poor form of captain Rohit Sharma, who managed just three runs. Rising star KL Rahul, promoted to No. 3, added 24 runs before losing his wicket to a well-placed Pat Cummins delivery, leaving Jaiswal and Kohli to stabilize the innings.
While Kohli’s earlier altercation with debutant Sam Konstas had already set a contentious tone for his day, the mix-up with Jaiswal further intensified the pressure on the team. In an unexpected moment of levity, a pitch invader momentarily interrupted the game, attempting to hug Kohli, adding a bizarre twist to an otherwise challenging day for the batsman.
As play resumes, it will be crucial for Pant and Jadeja to forge a partnership and prevent further wickets falling as India seeks to recover from a tough position before facing the formidable Australian bowling attack. With the match on a razor’s edge, all eyes will be on India’s response on Day 3.
Agencies