Virat Kohli only scored 3 runs against Australia in 1st innings of Brisbane Test© AFP
Out after only contributing 3 runs to Team India’s first innings score in the third Test against Australia, Virat Kohli put in the hard work to redeem himself in the remainder of the contest. Kohli continued his poor form with the bat, as he was removed by Josh Hazlewood on Day 3 of the Brisbane Test. However, on Day 4 of the match, Kohli was spotting hitting the nets, putting extra effort to rediscover his form and contribute better in the second innings.
Not just Kohli, even Shubman Gill was spotted in the nets session while the likes of KL Rahul and Ravindra Jadej were toiling against the Australian bowlers in the iddle.
“They have been hitting a lot of balls here. Why are they here? They haven’t been scoring a lot of runs in this series. India need Virat and Gill to fire. It’s so good to see them at the practice session even when Team India is batting out there. They are here in the nets, hitting a lot of balls. You can feel good by hitting a lot of balls. When you are not in form, you can feel better by hitting a lot of balls,” Harbhajan told the broadcasters.
“I hope these practice sessions will bring what India needs in the middle,” he added.
As for the match, KL Rahul displayed admirable technical nous to withstand the stern test posed by the Australian bowlers, making a resolute fifty that formed the backbone of India’s batting performance at lunch on the fourth day of the third Test.
A nine toes down Rahul (84, 139b, 8×4) and an equally feisty Ravindra Jadeja (41, 77b, 4×4) raised 67 runs for the sixth wicket before the former fell to a remarkably athletic catch by Steve Smith at first slip off Nathan Lyon, as the home side regained the momentum.
Nitish Kumar Reddy (7) is the other not out batter at the end of the first session that was impeded by a short spell of rain an hour into the play.
With PTI Inputs
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