A Run Out Spoils India's Fightback Script at MCG

Jaiswal and Kohli looked settled for a long haul when a run out and two quick wickets took India from 153/2 to 159/5

- ASHISH MAGOTRA

Till 5:34pm in Melbourne, India had got their fightback right. Australia had pushed India into a corner by scoring 474 in their first innings. With the series on the line, the response from Rohit Sharma's team was important and even though the skipper failed to get going, Yashasvi Jaiswal - in the company of KL Rahul initially and then Virat Kohli - had managed to make run scoring look easy.

Then at precisely 5:35pm, the left-hander hit the ball towards mid-on and took off for a quick single. Kohli, at the non-striker's end, responded to the call by taking a couple of steps but his eyes were on the ball. He wasn't looking at his partner and hesitated when he saw the fielder (Pat Cummins) approach the ball quickly. In those milliseconds, India lost their way. Both batters virtually ended up at the same end and Jaiswal's brilliant innings of 82 was over. As he walked off, Jaiswal gestured at Kohli as if to say, 'My call,' while Kohli seemed to say the run was a bad idea.