New Delhi: If Sunday’s Test match at the MCG was thrilling, Monday promises to be even more captivating. With Australia holding a commanding lead of 333—just one run higher than the highest chase in this venue’s history, set nearly a century ago—and with one wicket remaining, all outcomes remain on the table. It could be a historic Border-Gavaskar triumph for India, a crucial victory for Australia, who were struggling on Saturday but have been revived by captain Pat Cummins and his bowlers, or perhaps even the cricket fan’s dream of a tie, reminiscent of the 1987 draw in Chennai that both nations still talk about.
However, two Indian players have more reasons than most to dream, hope, and take risks: Rohit Sharma, the embattled captain whose recent batting has seemed like a shadow of his former self, and Virat Kohli, who has struggled to control his mind from letting him down. Both have been hindered by their inability to ignite the qualities that once defined them: Rohit’s aggressive batting and Kohli’s mental fortitude in mastering his instincts.
Their starts couldn’t have been more different, yet the day ended almost the same for both. Rohit began the day standing alone in his jumper, observing the team warm up without engaging in any drills, lost in thought for a while. In stark contrast, Kohli was active, moving around, and speaking to the group after Nitish Reddy’s dismissal, just before Australia’s innings was set to begin.
Rohit walked onto the field for the Australian innings, adjusting his jersey. He approached Akash Deep and discussed the bowling strategy, gesturing with his hands to illustrate some shots. Jasprit Bumrah, who appears determined to make a lasting impression on the Australian team in this series, soon joined them. Kohli appeared from the tunnel shortly after and addressed the team in the huddle.
After Bumrah dismissed Sam Konstas and fired up the crowd, much like he did when he had fallen on Friday evening, leaving Reddy anxious on 99 under ominous skies, it felt like a moment of redemption, Bumrah style. As Akash Deep and Mohammad Siraj, who had faced their own challenges this series—being booed by Australian crowds and criticized by Indian fans for his bowling—rose to the occasion, Rohit, the captain, began to rally and immerse himself in the contest.
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In the early stages, Kohli had taken charge of the field placements and other tactical decisions. It wasn’t that Rohit wasn’t involved—he was actively present at slips, clapping after each delivery, offering words of encouragement to the bowlers as they ran past him at the end of their overs—but there was a noticeable shift in his approach. It seemed like he realized that India had a genuine chance to win.
He gestured for his players to reposition, motivated the bowlers to stick to a specific strategy, urged the fielders to stay alert and follow his lead, and showed his frustration at missed opportunities. At one point, he told Yashasvi Jaiswal, in his characteristic style of frustration, “Yaar, ‘baitey rehna neeche'” (just stay low), after Jaiswal had stood up too early at silly point, allowing the catch off Cummins to slip through. And this was just one of many moments where his leadership was evident.
By this point, Kohli had returned to his usual self, running, gesturing, and jumping, reacting to every near miss as if the ball had just missed the bat by a hair’s breadth. He was fully immersed in every moment. But as the day stretched on into evening, with Australia fighting back through their remaining batsmen and their fast bowlers tiring, a feeling of resigned inevitability crept over both of them.
It wasn’t surrender, but rather the realization that the game would be decided on the final day’s chase. It was clear it wouldn’t be easy. By the end, both men grew quiet. When Nathan Lyon was dismissed at slip in Bumrah’s final over, they turned to walk off the field. Kohli led the way, with Rohit picking up the three helmets from behind Rishabh Pant when they realized it was a no-ball. Neither of them reacted; they simply walked back to slips, with Rohit placing the helmets back on the field.
However, despite the challenging conditions expected for the chase, with variable bounce likely on the final day, India’s fate is in their hands. Australia hasn’t yet seen the best of Rohit. He hasn’t seen it in a while either. While Australian fans tend to respect foreign players who perform on Australian soil, Rohit has yet to deliver, which contributed to him being sidelined in the pre-series media coverage, with the spotlight instead on young players like Jaiswal and Shubman Gill, as well as the veteran Kohli.
After initially batting lower in the order, Rohit opted to open. It wasn’t the best choice in the first innings, with a fresh pitch and bowlers, but it could prove effective in a chase. If Rohit can make an early impact and unsettle the Australians, it could spark hope for India. From there, it might come down to Kohli, who could once again rise to the occasion against his favourite opponents—the Australian team and their supporters in Australia.
On the fourth day morning, the highly respected radio commentator Jim Maxwell, who has been covering cricket for ABC radio for 51 years, shared his thoughts with this newspaper about the Indian duo. “This series I don’t think Virat is in his best mental shape at all. He doesn’t seem to have that ruthless mental strength and discipline that players like Bradman or even Steve Smith now. He has become a more flirtatious player. That’s why after that mix-up of a runout with Jaiswal, he went back to what he has been in the last year or two: loose outside off. The Kohli of the old wouldn’t have let that moment go. And Rohit is past it sadly,” he says.
It’s a viewpoint that few would contest. However, tomorrow isn’t just another day; it’s a day when these two Indian players could reclaim their diminishing brilliance. If not them, India will look to younger talents like Rishabh Pant, Jaiswal, and Nitish to step up. Whether it’s a win, loss, or draw, what’s in store for us?
