A Test of Nerves: The Moment That Shifted India's Momentum
Yashasvi Jaiswal drove the ball to mid-on and set off for a run. Till that moment, both he and Virat Kohli had been in complete control, looking confident at the crease. Jaiswal was in an aggressive mood, while Kohli displayed discipline and composure. Together, they had formed a crucial 102-run partnership, slowly but surely taking India towards a strong position. But then, in a blink, they were at the same end, staring at each other, the run-out complete. It was sudden. It was anticlimactic. And it completely changed the course of the Test match.
To understand the full impact of that moment, you need to consider what led to it. At the time, it seemed almost impossible for a wicket to fall. India had found a solid rhythm, with Jaiswal driving the attack and Kohli showing the kind of form that had been sorely missing during the tour. The Australian bowlers were beginning to feel the pressure, and the pitch, while still offering some assistance, was no longer as hostile as it had been earlier. The Indians were moving towards a strong finish to Day 2, having overcome a shaky start. But when Jaiswal's drive to mid-on turned into a run-out, the entire momentum shifted in an instant.
The incident happened in the 41st over, with Scott Boland in the attack under overcast skies at the MCG. Jaiswal had already looked dangerous, having struck a blistering boundary earlier in the over. With a confident swagger, he had slashed at a delivery to backward point for four just before, showing some disdain for the Australian attack. Kohli, on the other hand, had been disciplined throughout, leaving balls wisely, playing deliveries close to his body, and only engaging when he could be certain. He had begun to rotate the strike with ease, something he has been known for, and seemed poised for a solid score, if not a big one.
The two were at a stage where a strong finish seemed possible for India, with the Australian bowlers struggling to break the partnership. India had eked its way to 2/153, and while the Australians were still ahead on runs, there was a sense that India was clawing its way back into the game. The MCG was almost buzzing with energy, especially from the Indian supporters who had come in full force. The crowd noise had grown deafening, and the Australian fielders seemed increasingly subdued.
But cricket, as it often does, has a way of delivering the unexpected. A couple of minor misunderstandings had already occurred between Jaiswal and Kohli, but nothing that suggested disaster. Kohli had even smiled through them, and Jaiswal had tried to explain his stance, with no real tension between them. Then came the fatal call. Jaiswal committed fully to the run, but Kohli, as he rightly saw it, decided against responding. The result: an unnecessary run-out that broke the partnership.
The run-out was not just a momentary lapse. It was a huge shift in momentum. It had seemed that India had weathered the storm, but in one split second, they were back in the hands of the Australians. Jaiswal had taken off, but Kohli, probably unwilling to risk it with his partner so far down the pitch, hesitated. By the time Kohli had turned around to start running, Jaiswal was already halfway down the pitch, and the throw from mid-on was quick enough to catch him short.
Jaiswal’s departure was a massive blow for India. Not only was it a direct result of a miscommunication, but it was also a departure that came at a time when he was looking set for his second century of the series. He had played an aggressive, positive knock, a bright spark in a tour that had otherwise been filled with frustration. His departure meant India was now 4/153.
What followed was almost a continuation of the collapse. Kohli, who had been in good shape, looked visibly rattled by the run-out. His frustration quickly turned into an edge to a delivery from Boland, who was in the middle of a fine spell. Kohli, after being so composed for much of his innings, poked at a classic Boland delivery, one pitched outside the off-stump and seaming away just enough to find the edge. Kohli was gone for 36, leaving India at 5/159, and his anguish was all too evident. The frustration, the realization that the partnership had been broken by a moment of madness, was written all over his face.
Boland wasn’t done either. He removed night-watchman Akash Deep in the same over, reducing India to 5/159, having taken three wickets for just 6 runs in the space of three overs. The Australians were back in full voice, not just on the field but all around the MCG. The crowd, once quiet, erupted. The game had turned. Australia had suddenly regained the upper hand, and the Indian fans were left in stunned silence, realizing that in just a few overs, India’s solid position had crumbled.
This marked the third and most decisive act of the day. The earlier phases had seen India struggle with captaincy decisions and Rohit Sharma’s own struggles with the bat. Rohit, who had promoted himself to open the innings, had been too slow, too late, and eventually too out of position to even complete the awkward shot he was attempting to a delivery from Cummins. The result was a sky-high catch to mid-on, and another disappointing dismissal for the Indian captain, who had been desperate for runs. This was the latest in a series of odd ways Rohit had gotten out in the series, more so after his decision to open the innings instead of in-form KL Rahul.
The game had gone from a hopeful recovery to a sudden collapse. With India reduced to 5/159, the Australians were once again in control. The day had unfolded in three distinct acts:
- First Act: Australia’s dominance, with India reeling after a tough start. Rohit’s failure and Rahul’s early dismissal.
- Second Act: Jaiswal and Kohli rebuild, providing hope and a glimmer of resolution for India.
- Third Act: The shock run-out and the ensuing collapse, handing Australia the advantage once again.
The match had turned. And it all happened in a heartbeat. What was shaping up to be a promising finish for India was undone by a single, unexpected mistake. The Australians were back on top, and the game was now firmly in their hands.
