What is it about young Indian batting talents and Perth that makes the venue a perfect stage to showcase their wares to the world?
The reverberations of an 18-year-old Sachin Tendulkar’s 114 in 1992 at the WACA are still felt. Virat Kohli’s twin knocks of 44 and 75 at the WACA 20 years later showed everyone what he is made of and on Sunday, Yashasvi Jaiswal stamped his class by smashing a majestic 161 (297 balls, 15×4, 3×6) his fourth hundred, all of them 150-plus, at the Optus Stadium on Day Three of the first Test of the Border Gavaskar Trophy to lay claim on the tag of ‘The Prince’.
Border-Gavaskar Trophy
Meanwhile Virat Kohli 100* (143b, 8×4, 2×6), ‘The King’, then pulverized a frazzled Australian attack for his 30th Test century and his first in the last 16 months.
The moment the Indian veteran reached triple figures, his second at the Optus after his heroics in 2018 in a losing cause, Indian skipper Jasprit Bumrah declared with the score at 487-6. It left Australia a target of 534 to chase in 25 minutes and two days.
The hosts, tired after being in the field for 134.3 overs, ran into an inspired Bumrah again to slump to 12 for 3 in 4.2 hellish overs.
Debutant opener Nathan McSweeney could not negotiate the fourth delivery from Bumrah’s first over that hit a crack, kept low, darted in at speed and thudded into the pads to fall for a duck.
Australians under Steve Waugh rarely opted for a night watchman, but on Sunday, with 20 minutes remaining, Pat Cummins walked in to protect the established batters. But he left soon as he edged a searing outswinger from Mohammed Siraj to Kohli at second slip.
At 9 for 2, Australia declared May Day. It soon became 12 for 3 as Marnus Labuschagne left an incoming delivery from Bumrah’s final over to be trapped leg before. He even burnt a review.
India’s dream day had turned into a nightmare for the hosts as openers Jaiswal and KL Rahul continued from where they left on Day Two (172-0) and took the score to 201, India’s highest opening stand in Australia.
Jaiswal, who resumed Day Three on 90, reached his ton with a ramped six off Hazlewood when on 95 and then spread his arms wide to soak in the applause.
Rahul played a few delightful strokes to get to his 50 and move quickly to 77 before edging Starc to wicket-keeper Alex Carey.
Devdutt Padikkal batted steadily for 25. All this while he watched Jaiswal launch into an offensive at the other end.
India took lunch at 275 for 1, but lost Padikkal immediately after the interval as Australia struck with the new ball with Hazlewood having him caught at second slip by Steve Smith.
It was difficult to wait for my debut, says Harshit Rana
Kohli exchanged a fist pump with Jaiswal as he walked in at four radiating positivity. With the wicket easing, he chose to bat inside the crease and not indulge in aggressive forward movements that prevented him from negotiating a rising delivery from Hazelwood in the first innings.
He also allowed Jaiswal to take control as the young left-hander drilled Cummins authoritatively through widish mid-off to pass 150.
A third double looked a certainty, but he slapped an innocuous Mitchell Marsh long-hop to Smith at backward point.
India then endured a mini collapse of 8 for 3 when Lyon had Rishabh Pant stumped and Cummins got one to skid low and rap Dhurv Jurel on the pads.
But Washington Sundar’s sound defence at the other freed up Kohli. Although there was skittish running from the pair, they added 79 crucial runs with Kohli’s punch down the ground off Cummins and his slap over point for six off Starc making it to the highlights reel.
When Sundar missed a hoick off Lyon and was bowled, Nitish Reddy 38* (27b, 3×4, 2×6) walked in with T20 intent and a message that the team was looking to bowl tonight itself.
That got Kohli to unfurl the sweeps and reverse sweeps from his closet. And he got to his hundred with a sweep off Labuschagne who looked to bowl wrist spin outside leg-stump to curb the scoring.
Unaware that the ball had reached the fence, Kohli’s celebrations were initially muted. After confirming that he had indeed moved from 96 to 100, he took off his helmet to acknowledge the crowd. That done, he then blew a kiss to wife Anushka in the member’s stand.
