Kohli valiant ton goes in vain

It was a case of so near and yet so far for India. Having come close to pulling off an unlikely win against Australia in the first Test, the Virat Kohli-led side imploded sensationally to suffer a 48-run loss here at the Adelaide Oval on Saturday. Australia expectedly declared their second innings at their overnight score of 290/5, setting India a target of 364 from a minimum of 98 overs on a fifth-day surface.

Few would have given India a chance of measuring up to the test of the Australian bow­ling, let alone coming close to a win. The Indian batsmen, however, earned several plaudits for their positive appro­ach throughout the innings.

Kohli led India’s robust reply with his second century (141, 175b, 16x4, 1x6) of the Test while forging a potentially game-changing partnership of 185 runs for the third wicket with Murali Vijay (99, 234b, 10x4, 2x6), who was unlucky to miss out on his fourth century against Australia. India needed 159 runs in the post-tea session, and appeared well on course, with Kohli and Vijay taking them to 242/2.

Blame it on the nervous 90s: Vijay went onto his back foot to push for a single towards onside but was caught plumb in front by Nathan Lyon, who was all over India like a bad rash after that breakthrough.

The off-spinner added seven more to the five he had already taken in the first innings for his maiden 10-wicket haul in a Test match.