Out in the middle, he has the instincts of a fighter. He could almost be in a boxing ring.
Virat Kohli does not pull his punches. His swagger is as unmistakable as the ferocity of his strokes. He walks the talk.
The feisty Kohli’s hunger for runs is immense. These days, he is devouring Test centuries in a hurry.
Kohli notched up his fourth century of the series – he was unbeaten on 140 - as India reached 342 for five on the third day of the fourth Test at the SCG on Thursday. During his innings, Kohli went past Rahul Dravid's aggregate of 619 for most runs scored by an Indian batsman in a series down under.
On a day when a majority in the crowd wore pink in support of the McGrath Cancer Foundation, the Indian joined Sunil Gavaskar as the only Indians to achieve the feat in a Test series. It was Kohli’s third hundred in successive innings as Test captain, the first to do so in Tests.
This was also a day when K.L. Rahul left the darkness of MCG behind to embrace sunshine here with his maiden hundred, a 110 of patience, footwork and timing.
Sport is a lot about exorcising the demon of self doubt, the biggest scourge of them all. The 22-year-old opener, his resolve firm, did just that.
India is 230 runs behind Australia on a largely slow surface that could encourage spin on days four and five. There was some turn for off-spinner Nathan Lyon on the third day but the Australian fielders were not sharp in converting chances at short-leg.
In the last session, support seamer Shane Watson, operating with control, jolted India when he got Ajinkya Rahane to miss a pull and won a debatable leg-before decision.
Then, he angled one away from the left-handed Suresh Raina for ‘keeper Brad Haddin to pouch a diving catch. It was two wickets in two balls.
Even as Kohli continued to find the ropes, Wriddhiman Saha batted with determination to see the day through.
Kohli has the talent to match his ambition. The manner he cover-drove all day, reflected his footwork. Starc was pounded off the back-foot and Hazlewood, dismissed with the front-footed drive. And Lyon was cover-driven against the spin — here Kohli employs his powerful and dexterous wrists to control the ball as he whips it — swept and pulled.
Kohli has worked on his backlift. And his back and across movement has been a well-oiled one in the series.
A sense of style and flow in Rahul’s batting is hard to miss. He is sound off the back-foot, and makes a pleasing sight when he gets on to the front-foot for the graceful drives on both sides.
Crucially, he is balanced in his stance. He is upright, relaxed and does not commit himself in his trigger movement. His left elbow is classically high, a good sign in a young opener.
Rahul played himself in during the first session — Rohit Sharma (53) departed trying to sweep a Lyon delivery that spun in from outside off — and then opened out.
The Karnataka batsman’s 141-run third-wicket partnership with Kohli was a well-paced one. The period of defence in the first session was followed by a brighter phase.
The youngster hugged Kohli — the skipper had backed him to succeed — after reaching his century. Soon, he top-edged a pull off Starc to walk back.
Spidercam incident
The day witnessed some ordinary catching and fielding from the Aussies.
Skipper Steve Smith, apparently hindered by the spidercam right above, ran back from the slips and put down a skier when Rahul (on 46) miscued an attempted pull off Watson.
Earlier, Rahul had raced out from the non-striker’s end, then slipped while turning back half-way. Substitute fielder Pat Cummins wasted the opportunity by throwing to ‘keeper Brad Haddin.
Later, Smith could not hold a high catch at slip when Starc forced an edge from Kohli (59). The second new ball had been taken and the lapse hurt Australia.
The Australian attack, lacking incision, missed a leader in the absence of Mitchell Johnson. As the Test progresses, Lyon could be a threat.
Elite company
Virat Kohli joined Sunil Gavaskar as the only Indians to score four hundreds in a Test series on foreign soil.
Scoreboard
Australia — 1st innings: 572 for seven decl.
India — 1st innings: M. Vijay c Haddin b Starc 0 (3b), K.L. Rahul c & b Starc 110 (262b, 13x4, 1x6), R. Sharma b Lyon 53 (133b, 5x4, 2x6), V. Kohli (batting) 140 (214b, 20x4), A. Rahane lbw b Watson 13 (31b), S. Raina c Haddin b Watson 0 (1b), W. Saha (batting) 14 (50b, 1x4); Extras (b-1, lb-6, w-1, nb-4) 12; Total (for five wkts. in 115 overs): 342.
Fall of wickets: 1-0 (Vijay), 2-97 (R. Sharma), 3-238 (Rahul), 4-292 (Rahane), 5-292 (Raina).
Australia bowling: Starc 21-4-77-2, Harris 23-6-63-0, Hazlewood 20-5-45-0, Lyon 32-7-91-1, Watson 15-4-42-2, Smith 4-0-17-0.
