Virat Kohli Verbal Volleys Ignite Drama During Adelaide Test
Kohli’s Aggression Shines After Bumrah’s Near Dismissal
Virat Kohli’s trash talk stole the show on Day 1 of the Adelaide Test in the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy. In a fiery exchange, Kohli targeted Nathan McSweeney. It followed an unplayable delivery from Jasprit Bumrah. Bumrah bowled a searing pink-ball delivery that narrowly missed McSweeney’s bat. It brushed past to wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant.
Kohli charged towards the young batter, intensifying the pressure with pointed remarks: “He’s got no clue! He’s got no clue, Jass (Jasprit Bumrah)!”
Always in the game, always in the ear! 😁👑🗣
ICYMI 👉🏻@imVkohli’s stump mic gold from the ongoing #PinkBallTest! 🔥#AUSvINDOnStar 2nd Test 👉 LIVE NOW on Star Sports! #AUSvIND | #ToughestRivalry pic.twitter.com/9zuqd3hdAb
— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) December 6, 2024
The scene electrified the match. Indian players converged around McSweeney. They were facing the heat in his third Test match.
McSweeney Holds Ground Amid Pressure
Nathan McSweeney, a new member of Australia’s Border-Gavaskar Trophy team, had to fill big shoes. He was to open alongside Usman Khawaja. After a modest debut in Perth, McSweeney scored just 10 and 0. He looked more settled on Day 1 in Adelaide. He partnered with Marnus Labuschagne. They built a promising partnership. But, Bumrah and Kohli then turned up the intensity.
Mitchell Starc Shines with Six-Wicket Haul
While Kohli’s aggression grabbed headlines, the day largely belonged to Mitchell Starc. The Australian pacer dismantled India’s batting lineup, claiming a brilliant 6-wicket haul. His fiery opening delivery dismissed Indian opener Yashasvi Jaiswal for a golden duck. It set a tough tone for the visitors.
Starc reflected on his performance post-innings: “I don’t know. I can’t tell. Feel like the ball has been coming out well, we did not play that bad, they played better than us in Perth. [on if he visualised getting swing first-ball to Jaiswal] Not that much to be honest. Nothing really changes game by game, was a nice start. [on the weather conditions] Certainly did not help the engine, got a bit cramped at the end,” said Starc.
India was bundled out for just 180 runs, and in response, Australia reached 86/2 by stumps, trailing by 94 runs.
Day 1 Summary: A Mixed Bag for India
India’s batting struggles showed they were weak to Starc’s deadly swing bowling. However, Jasprit Bumrah’s fiery spells kept them in contention. So did the high energy from players like Kohli.
As the Adelaide Test goes on, the battle between bat and ball intensifies. Both teams seek to dominate the series early.
