Virat Kohli walks away: Happy ending to a beautiful story | Cricket News
NEW DELHI: As Team India skipper Shubman Gill gave away his wicket for a meagre 24, and Virat Kohli — in what could be his final innings in Australia — walked out to bat with his willow, the Sydney Cricket Ground turned deafening.Under the grey Saturday skies of New South Wales, the curtains perhaps came down on a remarkable era of Indian cricket Down Under. And as if the cricketing gods had scripted it, it was Kohli’s boundary that sealed India’s nine-wicket win and saved them from a 3-0 whitewash.
On the back of two ducks in this three-match series, Kohli rose brilliantly with an unbeaten 74 off 81 this time. While his partner Rohit Sharma (121 not out) kept the runs flowing from the other side, Kohli displayed his stubbornness as he once again reminded the world of the qualities that have made him one of India’s greatest batters.
India’s Virat Kohli celebrates his half-century (PTI Photo/Izhar Khan)
Though inconsequential to the outcome of the series, with Australia already leading 2-0, this match marked the conclusion of what could be Kohli’s final Australian tour, a stage where he has created some of the most unforgettable moments of his career.And the Sydney Cricket Ground, a venue steeped in both triumph and challenge for him, witnessed Kohli perhaps walking out one last time in Indian colours, leaving fans with memories to cherish forever.Over the years, Kohli, 36, has been a force to reckon with in Australia.In 32 ODIs on Australian soil, he has scored 1401 runs at an average of 50.03, including five centuries and seven half-centuries, with a highest score of 133 not out. His Test performances are also impressive: 1542 runs in 18 matches at an average of 46.72, including seven centuries and four half-centuries.
India’s Rohit Sharma, left, celebrates his century with teammate Virat Kohli (PTI Photo/Izhar Khan)
In T20 Internationals, Kohli has amassed 747 runs in 17 matches, highlighted by an unbeaten 90 off 55 balls at Adelaide in 2016.ALSO READ: Only behind Sachin Tendulkar! Virat Kohli rewrites record books at SCGFrom his maiden Test century of 116 at Adelaide in 2012 to the iconic 147 in the fourth Test of the 2014-15 series in Melbourne, and a masterful 123 in Perth during the 2018-19 tour, Kohli consistently combined technique and temperament. In ODIs, his 117 in Australia stands out, while his unbeaten 90 off 55 balls in a T20I at Adelaide in 2016 remains the highest individual T20 score by an Indian against the Aussies Down Under.Australia has been a land of both highs and lows for him, but through it all, his fighting spirit never wavered.Walking off the field, perhaps for the last time in Australia, Kohli leaves behind a legacy that is both enduring and inspiring. His records, his approach to the game, and his ability to rise to challenges have cemented his place as a true cricketing great.
