Virat’s 49th century will happen, and a 50th and 51st…

When Ravidra Jadeja walked in at 191-5 on a cool Dharamshala evening, he knew exactly what he needed to do. Virat Kohli was in sparkling form and Jadeja needed to play a supportive role, the principal part of which was not to get out. He stuck to the job faithfully though his final score of 39 off 44 balls wasn’t a bad deal. There was one moment when he struck Rachin Ravindra for a mighty six, a blow Virat Kohli vocally approved from the other end, but otherwise Jadeja played within himself and took India to safety.

Jadeja has often shown he has the nerves and skills to hold India’s batting together. He played one of the most courageous knocks by an Indian player when he almost took India home in the 2019 semi-final against New Zealand that ended in heartbreak for the men in blue. But while five runs was not much of task, Kohli could well have ended the match. His quest for a six to take him to a 49^th ODI hundred equalling Sachin Tendulkar ended in being caught. Of course, a hundred, as Rohit Sharma put it pithily, is a hundred. No one would grudge Kohli his tryst with greatness. In fact, spectators have revelled in his success. Thinking back, he might want to have finished things himself.

All through the summer of 2021 on India’s tour of England, Kohli’s indifferent form made headlines as his drought of centuries stretched on. Kohli managed a few starts but to the frustration of his fans, got out just as a half century and more seemed within grasp. Yet, the flashes of brilliance in his wristy cover drives and the balance of his leg-side play, made it apparent that a return to form was just an innings away. Finally, after a self-imposed rest period, Kohli was back looking as good as he has been and displaying the hunger and intensity that has set him apart from his peers and left a trail of broken records in his wake. Not just the 49^th, but a 50^th and 51^st century will follow. His inner self would tell Kohli that.

It was a good day in office for India after New Zealand failed to reach 300 with Mohammed Shami bowling brilliantly towards the end of the Kiwi innings, showing how good he is in assessing pitch conditions. He kept it straight and simple, targeting the stumps in a you-miss-I-hit strategy. In the field Virat showed the way with two sharp catches as the bowlers choked the Kiwis who might have expected more from their centurian Daryl Mitchell towards the end. The bowling will give India a lot of confidence about the team’s ability to pull back things even when the opposition seems to be running away with the game.

India’s chase was not without a few hiccups after Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill fell after having negotiated the opening spells of Trent Boult and Matt Henry. Shreyas Iyer and K L Rahul will think more about their dismissals. Kohli might have completed the run when Surya Kumar Yadav bolted down the pitch in the 34^th over but it was an unwarranted risk. SKY had just scored two runs and should have waited for the ball to cross the close in fielder before running. All through the Indian innings, the Kiwi fielding was a huge asset for the visitors and narrowed the gap between the two teams. In all likelihood the teams will meet again and that encounter will likely run closer.

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Rajeev Deshpande

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