Virat Kohli had a clear message for Indian bowlers in the Boxing Day Test.
Virat Kohli has been heavily active since the morning session of the Boxing Day Test, trying his best to provide his bowlers with any support possible. He engages in altercations with the opponent players, passes on his valuable advice to the bowlers, and shows intensity on the field with his fielding attempts.
However, one notable incident was caught on the stump mic when Mohammed Siraj was bowling to Marnus Labuschagne earlier in the day. As Siraj walked past Labuschagne, the two exchanged a few words with a beaming smile, as they had been doing the whole series.
But Kohli quickly warned, exclaiming, “Hass ke baat nahi karna inse (Don’t talk to them with a smile).” He probably didn’t want to create an easy environment for Labuschagne, who was relatively new to the crease.
Siraj bowled well in that spell, and Kohli wanted to keep the pressure building since it would have allowed India to make further inroads. While Siraj did a decent job, he couldn’t dismiss Labuschagne, but Kohli’s comments went viral immediately across social media platforms.
Australia couldn’t have asked for a better start in the Boxing Day Test as their top three scored half-centuries and put India under immense pressure. After Sam Konstas (60) and Usman Khawaja (57) hit the fifties, Marnus Labuschagne took the innings forward and further stabilised Australia’s batting unit.
He soon completed his half-century and is looking in a nice touch. There were a few nervy moments when Labuschagne was uncomfortable and took blows on his body.
Still, he navigated that phase and compiled a deserving half-century to put Australia in a commanding position. He looks set to make a big ton, and India need to get him out as quickly as possible.
The deck has eased out, and he has taken calculative risks to keep the scoreboard moving, putting Australia in a dominating position. If he doesn’t get out quickly, Labuschagne will take the game away from India, and the Rohit Sharma-led side will be left too far behind in the contest.
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