WTC Final: Kohli & Rahane Resilient as India Fights to Chase Down 280 on Final Day

London: India’s hopes of achieving a remarkable victory in the World Test Championship (WTC) final at the Oval in London on Sunday lie heavily on the shoulders of their star batsman, Virat Kohli. After a disappointing performance in the first innings, Kohli learned from his mistake and displayed a solid batting performance in the second innings. Currently standing at the crease with an impressive score of 44 (60)*, all eyes are on him.

In the ongoing WTC Final against Australia, Kohli joined an elite group of Indian batsmen who have scored more than 2000 runs against the Australian team. However, it is Sachin Tendulkar, who still holds the record for the highest number of runs against Australia, with a staggering 3,630. Following closely behind are VVS Laxman with 2,434 runs and the current Indian head coach, Rahul Dravid, with 2,143 runs. Cheteshwar Pujara holds the fourth position with 2,074 runs, while Kohli himself occupies the fifth spot with an impressive tally of 2,037* runs.

Kohli’s exceptional record against Australia extends to all formats of the game, where he has accumulated over 5000 runs in 93 matches, boasting an impressive average of 51.05. With 16 centuries and 24 fifties to his name, he has proven to be a formidable opponent for the Aussies.

Furthermore, Kohli has established himself as the leading Indian run-scorer in the World Test Championship (WTC). As the fourth day of the WTC final concluded, Kohli, along with Ajinkya Rahane, stood tall as they anchored India’s innings. At the end of the fifth day, India’s score stood at 164/3 in 40 overs, with Rahane contributing 20(59)* and Kohli reaching 44(60)*.

Although Shubman Gill’s dismissal in the second innings raised some debate, Rohit Sharma and Cheteshwar Pujara managed to keep the scoreboard ticking. However, Lyon got the better of Sharma, while Pujara fell victim to Pat Cummins. India found themselves in a vulnerable position at 93/3. Nonetheless, Kohli and Rahane demonstrated a combination of defensive skills and attacking shots, frustrating the Australian bowlers and forging an unbeaten 71-run partnership by the end of the day.

India concluded the day with a total of 164/3, leaving them with a challenging target of 280 runs to secure a victory on the final day.