Boland joins elite list with his dominance against Virat Kohli
What's the story
Indian cricket star, Virat Kohli, had a moment of sheer frustration on the second day of the fifth and final Test against Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG). This was after his recurring dismissal to balls outside off stump. Kohli was once again dismissed by Australian bowler Scott Boland, who has been consistently troubling the Indian batting lineup throughout this series.
Leadership role
Kohli steps up as skipper amid Bumrah's absence
Notably, Kohli's dismissal came on a day when he had taken over the captaincy from Jasprit Bumrah, who had left the stadium for a medical check-up for a back issue. Despite the setback, Kohli led India to a strong position against Australia. The hosts were dismissed for 181, giving India a slender lead of four runs before tea break.
Bowling dominance
Boland's bowling prowess disrupts India's momentum
Meanwhile, Boland continued to run through the Indian batting order, sending both openers back and forcing Kohli to join Shubman Gill at the crease. Despite a promising start, Kohli was once again dismissed by Boland after scoring just six runs off 12 balls. This was the fourth time in this series that Boland has managed to dismiss Kohli, further highlighting his bowling prowess.
Batting woes
Kohli's struggle with deliveries outside off stump
Kohli's dismissal pattern has been the same, getting out seven out of eight times to deliveries outside the off-stump. In the first innings of this match, he was caught in slips by Beau Webster off Boland's bowling after scoring 17 runs from 69 balls. This series has been especially difficult for Kohli, who is usually in top form while playing in Australia.
Series summary
Kohli's performance in the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy
Despite a fiery start in Perth with a century that helped India win the first Test, Kohli has failed to find his footing. His next best score was 36 runs in the Boxing Day Test, and he only crossed double digits on three occasions. Overall, Kohli finished the series with 190 runs at an average of mere 23.75 from nine innings. Meanwhile, Boland completed 18 wickets in the series with his latest dismissal of Kohli. He averages under 19.
Disappointment
Kohli's frustration evident after 2nd dismissal
Kohli's disappointment was evident after his second dismissal in the match. He thumped his pad with his bat as he walked off the field, a clear indication of his frustration with the same old story of his dismissals. This incident highlighted the pressure on Kohli to perform, especially since India is trailing 1-2 in the series and is battling to keep a hold on the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
DYK
Boland joins Murphy and Anderson
As per ESPNcricinfo, Boland dismissed Kohli four times across five meetings in the BGT 2024-25. The batter has managed just 28 runs off 68 balls in this battle. Meanwhile, Boland's compatriot Todd Murphy (2023) and former England pacer James Anderson (2014) are the only other bowlers to trap Kohli four times in a bilateral Test series. Overall, Kohli became Boland's bunny for fifth time in Test cricket.