Cummins emerges as Kohli’s nemesis
IN just four balls, Australian paceman Pat Cummins has become Virat Kohli’s nemesis.
Cummins has twice in four deliveries in Test cricket dethroned the Indian king.
In the first Test in Adelaide yesterday, Cummins dismissed Kohli with his third ball of the innings, and third to the Indian captain.
In Ranchi in March last year, the Australian quick claimed Kohli’s scalp with the only ball he bowled at the Indian hero. Both times, Kohli has fallen cheaply — just three runs in Adelaide, only six in Ranchi.
Kohli yesterday fell to a barely believable catch by Usman Khawaja at gully. The Indian skipper played a loose shot, driving away from his body to a fullish Cummins delivery. The ball caught the edge of Kohli’s bat and flew to the left of Khawaja who, diving at full-stretch, completed a stunning one-handed catch.
“Literally: nick, react, catch,” Khawaja said. “You do it in training all the time, some stick and some don’t. You don’t take too many catches like that so it was a lot of fun, especially being Virat, obviously one of their key men.”
As Australian players mobbed Khawaja, a man not renowned for his fielding, Kohli stood at the batting crease in disbelief at the brilliant catch. After a prolonged pause, Kohli turned and head- ed to the dressing room after a rare failure in Adelaide.
In the last Test he played in Adelaide in December 2014, Kohli posted twin tons — 115 and 141. And in the January 2012 Test in Adelaide, Kohli scored 116 and 22.
Khawaja, who pre-match detailed a fitness regimen in which he had lost 10kg in weight, took the field yesterday two days after his brother was arrested following a counter-terrorism investigation.
Arsalan Tariq Khawaja was arrested in Sydney on Tuesday and charged with attempting to pervert justice and forgery.
He was granted bail amid accusations he framed a colleague with a fake terror hitlist targeting senior politicians.
India 9-250 at stumps on day one at Adelaide Oval.
Cheteshwar Pujara. The first drop scores a ton of resistance, compiling his 16th Test century and holding India’s innings together. The 30-year-old arrived at the crease after just two overs and departed, run out for 123 from 246 deliveries, in the 88th over on what became the last ball of the day
Usman Khawaja, fielding at gully, dives full stretch to his left and takes a stunning onehanded catch to dismiss Virat Kohli. India’s hero made just three runs with Khawaja’s moment of sheer brilliance leaving the visitors wobbling at 3-19
Six. The number of Indian batsmen caught behind the wicket, the dismissals coming through a mix of poor shot selection and superb execution of astute planning by Australia’s bowlers
“You don’t take too many catches like that so it was a lot of fun.” Khawaja.