Virat Kohli looms as the final barrier between Australia and victory in the World Test Championship final, with the Indian maestro’s unbeaten 44 steering them to stumps on Day 4 3/164 chasing 444 for the unlikeliest of victories.
With India still requiring nearly 300 runs, albeit with a strong lower order, it will be Kohli’s wicket the Australian attack prize most when play resumes for the fifth and final day of the match; with the Oval surface far more benign than across the first three days, more strokeplay like he produced on the fourth evening could send plenty of jitters through the Aussie camp.
Earlier, controversy had erupted when Cameron Green appeared to take a second stunning one-handed catch at gully to remove Shubman Gill (18); Indian fans incensed with replays appearing to show the ball had flicked the ground and making their frustrations known with repeated chants of ‘cheat’ whenever Green came on to bowl.
“I thought he caught it fair and square,” wicketkeeper Alex Carey said at stumps of Green’s catch.
“It looked good from where I was, he was really happy with it. I think the right decision was made.”
Carey also urged his attack to remain ‘patient’ ahead of what looms as a tricky final day.
“I never like seeing our bowlers go at sixes for that period of time, but I thought they pegged it back,” he said.
“We got a few wickets there, back to back. It’s going to be a case of coming tomorrow and being patient, putting the ball in the right area, and trying to take those seven chances.”
India are confident of reeling in the target.
“We believe we can win the match,” quick Mohammed Shami said. “We have performed well overseas not just in England. We will come together to win this.
“If you bat well, 280 runs is not a big score. You should bat normally as a Test match. You should focus on playing ball by ball. You should not look at the long target. “
Resuming on 4/123 with a lead of 296, the early wicket of Marnus Labuschagne without adding to his overnight score may have sparked fears of an Australian collapse; but the danger was soon averted by a composed 43-run stand between Green and Carey.
Carey in particular looked assured at the crease; eschewing the reverse sweep that has brought him unstuck frequently in recent months, the wicketkeeper-batter whipped eight boundaries en route to an unbeaten 66, putting on 93 with Mitchell Starc after Green fell for 25 unwisely not offering a shot to Ravindra Jadeja.
Going at fewer than three runs an over when Green fell, Carey, together with Starc, opted to put the foot down, the result 20 overs of boundaries aplenty as the tailender clubbed a brisk 41 to steer the Aussies’ lead past 400, and no doubt impress wife and women’s international star Alyssa Healy, watching on from the stands.
Starc’s bid for a half-century was ended with a thick outside edge off Mohammed Shami pouched safely by Kohli at slip; Pat Cummins faced five balls before hoicking the same bowler high but not so handsome to point, instructing Carey to follow him from the field.
With 444 on the board requiring a record chase from India to hunt it down, the most intriguing part of the early stages of India’s second innings was the shot-making. With nothing to lose, Rohit Sharma and Gill began in a blaze of boundaries, regularly dispatching Cummins and particularly harsh on Starc when he entered the attack at first change after Boland took the new ball.
With England likely to employ similarly aggressive tactics in the upcoming Ashes series, no doubt the aggression of Gill and Sharma will have given the Aussies plenty to ponder over the next week; it took Green’s spectacular if controversial moment of magic to end the stand at 41 after 43 hectic balls.
Cameron Green celebrates. (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)
Sharma, noticeably frustrated with third umpire Richard Kettleborough’s upholding of the decision, took his anger out on the bowlers, Starc’s figures ballooning to 45 off just seven wicketless overs to put his spot in the team for the first Ashes Test in major jeopardy.
1/91 after 19 overs, with Pujara having raced, by his usually sedate standards, to 27 alongside his captain, a path to victory began to appear: only for Nathan Lyon to instantly provide the breakthrough the favourites needed.
Just five balls after being brought into the attack, the off-spinner’s unerring accuracy brought Sharma unstuck; looking to sweep a ball too straight to do so safely, his attempt to overturn the LBW via the DRS only cost India one of their reviews.
When Cummins struck an over later to remove Pujara, whose edged attempted uppercut to a gleeful Carey may be among the more reckless shots he had ever played, Australia seemed to have weathered the storm.
Kohli, though, had other ideas: having been undone by the ball of the Test from Starc in the first innings, the 34-year old seemingly challenged the Australians to find something similarly spectacular once again.
Toying with the field like the Kohli of old, repeatedly flicking singles past a too-deep Usman Khawaja at wide mid-on for singles, he pounced instantly to drive Lyon down the ground for four when he was brought in closer to save the one, the 60 balls he faced before stumps were of the highest quality.
So long as Kohli remains in, especially if long-time partner Ajinkya Rahane, hampered by a first-innings finger injury but fighting through to 20 at the close, remains with him, India’s chances of saving this Test and ensuring an equal hold on the championship remain intact. And the longer he bats on Day 5, the more likely an extraordinary comeback win will appear.
