CHENNAI: Virat Kohli was walking back to the batting crease, looking around for some sign at the Perth Stadium. He looked around for the umpire to signal something and searched for the big digital screen for confirmation. At 96, he had just swept Nathan Lyon to the fine-leg boundary, but was not sure whether the fielder stopped it or not.
Kohli even turns around and asks Alex Carey something along the lines of whether he had hit it for four. He looked at the square leg umpire and the big screen again. He wants someone to confirm it. He has been through enough in the last five years to know centuries don't come easy.
Not any more for him. In fact, he hadn't hit one in the longest format in more than a year. Since his last visit to Australia, Kohli had just two centuries in Tests. He has come close before falling short so many times that it doesn't come easy anymore. He doesn't want to celebrate before knowing. He turns towards the main umpire, and gets the nod.
Finally, the smile of relief comes as the arms go aloft. Kohli had reached his 30th Test century, 81st in international cricket. The helmet came off as he celebrated with a flying kiss towards his wife in the stands.
It was a moment he had to wait way too long for. And not just him, even the Indian team in the dressing room. The scoreboard read 487/6 and they had a lead of 533. Jasprit Bumrah instantly declared to have a crack at Australia in the last half-an-hour. The pitch had slowed down but the bounce was inconsistent. Indian pacers have a little over two days to keep attacking the stumps but they needed some early wickets.
All Bumrah took was four balls to hit Nathan McSweeney on the pads with the ball coming back sharply from length. First wicket gone. Mohammed Siraj removed Pat Cummins who came in as night watchman but the icing on the cake was Bumrah making the ball shoot from length and hit Marnus Labuschagne on the pads. The ball kept low and fingers went up immediately. Australia 12/3 at stumps with a mountain to climb.
As the happy Indian team walked off the field on Sunday, everyone in the team pushed a cheeky youngster to the front. A 22-year-old Yashasvi Jaiswal with a sheepish grin led the team off the field. Yes, Kohli scored a brilliant century and yes, Bumrah put India on top once again. But every single member of the team knew one thing. If not for Jaiswal, they wouldn't be in this position.
The youngster, who had already entered the 90s, ensured India did not slip up the advantage. Even after KL Rahul got out, he went out to smash 161 runs, his fourth Test ton in a young career, thrashing all the doubts cast over him after the first innings. He was always going to be the breakout star of this series and Jaiswal showed why. Bumrah set the stage on day one, Jaiswal built on it. Now, over to Bumrah again to finish it off on Monday.