Clock is ticking for famed duo

Once automatic choices in playing XI, out-of-form Sharma & Kohli under immense scrutiny

- GOMESH S MELBOURNE

ITCHELL Starc had just come back for a short spell before lunch. It had been a brief while since Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul fell and this short burst was another chance of having a go at Yashasvi Jaiswal and Virat Kohli. This was a little after noon and the record for an all-time attendance was in danger with about 50,000 people already coming in for what promised to be yet another day of exciting contest at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

Jaiswal and Starc have had their run-ins this series and this time the youngster was in no mood to get bogged down. He was batting outside the crease, charging at the left-arm pacer to counter the seam movement. Even as Jaiswal did all that, Australia's target was at the other end - Kohli.