Virat Kohli.
Virat Kohli. Image Credit: X

The former Indian captain, Virat Kohli, was under a bit of crowd pressure going into the second morning of the fourth Test in the Border Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2024 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). This was on the back of his heated altercation with the debutant opening batter, Sam Konstas, on the morning session of the first day.

Virat Kohli was at the slip corridor when he saw the 19-year-old smashed the premier Indian pacer, Jasprit Bumrah, for fours and sixes behind the wicket as he ramped the pacer for over boundaries and boundaries and collected 65 runs in 60 balls.

The right-handed batter was welcomed with a loud noise from the crowd when he was standing in the boundary line for fielding. He was expected to be under the same reception when he would walk out to bat.

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Australia posted a huge score of 474 on the board in the first innings as Steve Smith celebrated his 34th century in the longest format, which was also his 11th in the format against the Indian side, going past Joe Root (10). Rohit Sharma decided to promote himself to the opening spot but couldn’t last long as he looked to guide the short ball, and ended up in the hands of the fielder stationed there.

Watch: Virat Kohli engaged in an incident with a spectator at the MCG

KL Rahul, demoted at the number three position, looked quite smooth in the middle as he creamed a few boundaries and to ease the nerves of the Indian side before he got a beauty from Pat Cummins to be dismissed on the last ball of the second session.

Virat Kohli walked out at four. The mixed reaction of the crowd was anticipated by many, as Australia immediately put three slips and a gully, besides leaving out the entire cover region to invite the batter to drive. Mitchell Starc and Cummins also kept on going full at the fourth and fifth stump.

But the Delhi-born was attentive this time. In the last innings of the Brisbane Test, he was asked to drive, and he went for it to get dismissed into the hands of the wicket-keeper, while the same occasion took place in the second day-night affair at the Adelaide Oval.

The 36-year-old was patient this time around and never went for the drive as he whipped the leg-sided delivery from Starc for a boundary. When Cummins went short at his body, the veteran pulled him with control for another four. He also cut Nathan Lyon through point for the same shot.

Runs were coming easily as the third wicket partnership between him and opener Yashasvi Jaiswal was growing with confidence before the latter went for a risky single without any alarm. Virat Kohli was not interested in the single, which ended in the accidental wicket of the left-handed opener.

Also Read: Usman Khawaja Reveals Virat Kohli’s ‘Chirp’ With Sam Kontas During Altercation In 4th MCG Test

A few overs later, Virat Kohli nicked off the delivery from Scot Boland to get back to the pavilion on 36 runs with the help of four boundaries. While going back, just the moment he entered the tunnel at the MCG, a few of the spectators said a few words at the batter, who didn’t take it lightly and came out of the tunnel to give an aggressive look at the individual.

The media person on the home side calmed him down and made his entrance back into the pavilion. India lost another wicket to slip to 164/5 to end the day as they remained 310 runs behind from the first innings of the home side.