Kohli’s century on the final day was a relationship which had a beautiful beginning and at the end turned sour eventually leading to a heartbreak. The pain was such that it was difficult to watch and the expression on his face when he got out, told a story of a thousand words.
Century in both the innings, a feat achieved by a foreigner in Australia after 53 years. Maybe this tag would not be consolation enough for Virat Kohli at the end of the day.
“Let’s see his true colours.” This was how he was greeted by the Australians as he stepped out to bat. The enormity of the situation did not affect him nor did the chatter in the background. One could see the focus and determination in his eyes when he pulled a Mitchell Johnson bouncer in front of square without flinching an eyelid. The great Steve Jobs had this quality of creating a “reality disillusion” where the past and the future situations would go to space and he would think of doing the impossible. Virat Kohli looked to be in a similar state. A target of 364 on the final day was always going to be next to impossible.
Flicking the spinner off the rough through mid wicket for a boundary or cover driving the pacers through covers, it was like a well laid out buffet which has almost all the well known cuisines. It was a treat for the eyes. Virat Kohli was probably the only batsman not to be troubled by the spinning ball. At the other end Murali Vijay’s stay at the wicket ended at one short of a century, probably a story that deserves to be told separately.
The honeymoon period ended post tea. Love was slowly turning into a love hate relationship as he was running out of partners at the other end. His partners were either flinging with danger or maybe their technique not up to the mark; Virat Kohli was slowly starting to feel left out. He finally decided to take responsibility of the situation and decided to carry it to the end all by himself. Sometimes even affording a smile, he looked like the Noah who could guide Indian’s sinking ark to victory. And much like most situations in life the unexpected happened, he got out.
A short Lyon delivery and he pulled it straight down the throat of deep mid wicket. It was a ball to which he would play the same shot instinctively even if woken up in the middle of the night. But on this day Kohli would have probably wished he could curb his natural instincts for once. India collapsed thereafter and Kohli’s efforts not meeting it’s deserving end.
Virat Kohli’s effort would probably be included in the folklore of Indian cricket and it will be one of its brightest chapters. But as Mayer’s finishing lines from his classic goes:
“Good to know it’s all a game.
Disappointment has a name, it’s heartbreak, heartbreak.”
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