New Delhi:
The Indian cricket team toiled on the final day of the warm-up game against Cricket Australia XI at the Sydney Cricket Ground. However, skipper Virat Kohli gave the team plenty to cheer by taking a wicket and cheering passionately. Kohli’s celebration has taken the internet by storm and it was small consolation for India as Cricket Australia XI ended up on 544, a lead of 186. The hosts were boosted by a 179-run stand for the seventh wicket with Harry Nielsen slamming a wonderful century and Aaron Hardie providing him valuable support with 86. The lower order also contributed with Daniel Fallins (43), Luke Robins (38*) and Jackson Coleman (36) all boosting Cricket Australia XI to a great total.
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However, it was Kohli who stole the show with his wicket celebration. Bowling from round the wicket to the left-handed Nielsen, Kohli bowled a full ball and the batsman miscued the lofted shot to long on. The catch was taken by Umesh Yadav. Kohli was awestruck that he had managed to take the wicket and pumped his fists aggressively to celebrate.
A priceless reaction from India captain @imVkohli as he picks up a rare wicket 😂 https://t.co/JMMimFVbEr #CAXIvIND pic.twitter.com/TM6FormmYf
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) December 1, 2018
The celebration is deserved for Kohli, who has not taken any wickets in Tests. In 105 First-Class matches, he has taken just three wickets. His last wicket in any format of the game was during the 2016 World T20 semi-final against West Indies at the Wankhede stadium in Mumbai when he took the wicket of Johnson Charles in the first ball of his spell. India lost that match to be eliminated from the tournament.
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On day 3, Kohli had bowled a couple of overs as India tested their reserves. Speaking after the end of the day, Ravichandran Ashwin remarked jokingly, “Virat was guiding the bowlers what were the right lengths.”
The match against Cricket Australia XI has been bittersweet for India. All their batsmen managed to get runs, with KL Rahul smashing a fifty in the second innings after failing in the first. Ajinkya Rahane, Cheteshwar Pujara, Kohli, Hanuma Vihari all managed to smash fifties but India would be disappointed with the bowling effort and also the injury to Prithvi Shaw which has ruled him out of the Adelaide Test starting on December 6.
