Virat Kohli’s ‘Silence’ Celebration After Labuschagne’s Dismissal Goes Viral
Virat Kohli’s ‘silence’ celebration after dismissing Marnus Labuschagne went viral. It captured attention on Day 2 of the third Test at the Gabba. The incident unfolded after Kohli took a sharp catch at second slip off a delivery from Nitish Reddy. It helped India dismiss Labuschagne for just 12 runs off 55 balls. Kohli responded to the noisy crowd with a cheeky ‘finger-on-your-lips’ gesture. This fired up both fans and social media alike.
The celebration followed persistent jeers from some Brisbane fans. Mohammed Siraj and others were targeted earlier in the match. Kohli’s reaction was seen as a fitting reply to the ongoing chatter from the stands.
Early Breakthroughs Set the Tone for India
Resuming the day at 28/0, Australia suffered early blows in the morning session. Indian spearhead Jasprit Bumrah removed opener Usman Khawaja (21 off 54) in the fourth over. His delivery straightened slightly, and it edged to the keeper. This was the third time Bumrah had dismissed Khawaja in the series.
Bumrah struck again in the next over, sending Nathan McSweeney (9 off 49) back to the pavilion. The right-hander edged a delivery angled across him. It flew quickly to Virat Kohli at second slip. This continued Bumrah’s dominance over McSweeney. He has now dismissed him four times in three matches.
Labuschagne Dismissed After Gritty Start
India kept the pressure on after the early wickets. Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne tried to stabilize Australia’s innings. In the 34th over, Labuschagne couldn’t resist a swinging delivery from Nitish Reddy. He attempted a drive on an 8th-stump line. The ball caught the outside edge and was comfortably taken by Kohli, leaving Australia at 75/3.
Kohli, aware of the crowd’s jeers, responded with his now-viral ‘finger-on-your-lips’ gesture. It sent a clear message to the Australian fans.
India’s man with the golden arm! 😍
Nitish Kumar Reddy breaks a flourishing partnership as Marnus Labuschagne departs! 👏#AUSvINDOnStar 👉 3rd Test, Day 2, LIVE NOW! | #ToughestRivalry #BorderGavaskarTrophy pic.twitter.com/p6wNCCZuTp
— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) December 15, 2024
Smith, Head Steady Australia’s Innings
After Labuschagne’s dismissal, Travis Head (20* off 35) joined Steve Smith (25* off 68). They tried to rebuild the innings. Head played with intent, with his elegant cover drive off Bumrah standing out as the shot of the morning.
Meanwhile, India’s bowlers kept probing Smith. He batted with yet another tweak in his stance. Indian pacers Akash Deep and Mohammed Siraj tried hard. But, they could not break the partnership before lunch.
Injury Scare for Siraj
In a moment of concern for India, Mohammed Siraj walked off the field in the middle of his over. He felt discomfort in his left leg. He was seen clutching his left knee but later returned to the field, providing relief to the Indian camp.
Earlier, Siraj and Labuschagne shared a laugh. Siraj joked by swapping the bails. Labuschagne then swapped them back.
Day 2 of the Brisbane Test saw high-intensity cricket. India struck early, then Australia fought back through Smith and Head. Kohli‘s sharp fielding and fiery celebration added drama to the morning session. Fans were on the edge of their seats. With the series tied 1-1, every session at the Gabba is critical in the race for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
