Cricket likely doesn’t owe Virat Kohli anything. It has bestowed upon him wealth beyond imagination, influence that transcends logic, and recognition that has transformed into worship. However, he has reciprocated by enriching cricket, both in tangible terms through the revenue generated by his name and the intangible value his story has added to the sport. If cricket did owe him something, perhaps it was a fortunate break, a generous opportunity for a century to alleviate the pressure of an 18-month drought without one. As he walked out to bat with India two wickets down and a lead of 321 runs, with Yashasvi Jaiswal firmly entrenched on 141 and Australia already struggling, the game provided that chance.
The third day of this first Test witnessed the true Perth emerge. Not the mild pretender of the previous two days, characterized by gentle temperatures and occasional clouds. By mid-day three, even in the shade, the heat was oppressive, resembling a herd of cattle pushing through a gate. It was dreadful for bowlers, and even worse for players who knew they had squandered a match due to a poor batting hour. When Kohli was called upon to face the second ball after lunch, the Australians were already in their 85th over. They had removed the stifling presence of KL Rahul, but Devdutt Padikkal maintained the pressure. Jaiswal had reached his century with an uppercut six but otherwise played conservatively. Although Australia had the advantage of a new ball, the overnight lead of 218 might have been sufficient, making a lead of 321 by lunch seem insurmountable.
When Padikkal edged Josh Hazlewood to slip after the break, the clock and the sun had passed 1pm. Even without the heat of the match, the ground was sweltering: the Australians were in the midst of a frying pan. But there is always the heat of being Kohli, the player fans most want to see succeed. There is the desire, the expectation. The large Indian contingent in the stands celebrated his first run, a tap to cover, and then cheered a quality drive through mid-off for three. After a series of low scores and early murmurs about his place in the team, this innings still mattered. Kohli approached it with determination, seeing off the new ball, stretching forward to knock the ball into gaps, and challenging the fielders. Ducking a bouncer, stretching forward to drive through cover, he made up for the slow outfield with a rifled straight drive, leaving Pat Cummins looking flat.
With Jaiswal’s score soon topping 150, just as each of his previous three centuries had done, the line of succession was evident. Think of generational Indian talents in their first Perth Test. Sachin Tendulkar’s teenage century at the Waca in 1993, arching his back to carve the quicks. Kohli’s first visit to the Waca in 2012 didn’t yield the milestone, but he top-scored in both innings, last man out for 75 after teammates fell around him. He did score a century in his first game at the new Perth stadium in 2018, a top-tier 123 on the spiciest track the ground has seen. Now comes Jaiswal: a first-innings duck, a second-innings pursuit.
What stood out in a young player was his concentration, lasting over seven hours at the crease. He is far more than just an IPL hitter. That’s why England opener Ben Duckett’s suggestion that his team’s attacking cricket had “inspired” Jaiswal during their recent series was so off-key. Jaiswal left home at 12 to live in a tent and work in street markets to fund his training, playing every format available to rise to Mumbai state ranks before the IPL. English parents would be arrested if they allowed their child to try that. At 22, Jaiswal already has more experience than some cosseted players from other countries will ever have.
Among the 1,032 players who have visited Australia and batted in Test cricket, Jaiswal is the 35th to score a century in his first match in the country. He is something else: a youthful face, an ancient hunger. He looked born to play in Perth, relishing the bounce, the chance to play off the back foot in his unique style, using an almost straight bat to flash through point, or uppercutting over the cordon with a sabre show. And when he was out, with Rishabh Pant and Dhruv Jurel following soon after, that allowed Kohli to switch from quiet partner to charismatic leader. He put on 89 with Washington Sundar, 77 with Nitish Reddy. The roar for the half-century was immense, let alone the build to the hundred. Kohli didn’t slow down, slog-sweeping and reversing Nathan Lyon. After a finer sweep on 96 and a boundary dive, there was a very human moment, Kohli craning his neck to see the umpire, unsure if it had been signalled four. Don’t worry, you’ve got it.
So the declaration, then Jasprit Bumrah devastating another top order late in the day: 534 to win, Australia 12 for three. To a point, Kohli’s runs were superfluous, but they left Australia more and more deeply cooked, a stew left on simmer until every recognizable component had broken down into swirls of bubbling mush. They were runs that left India reveling in a talisman coming good. Runs unneeded in this match might yet matter in the series, if this innings gets Kohli purring for closer contests. And while Kohli is not done yet, they were runs that might inform the handover to his protégé. If Jaiswal is hungry, he could yet learn from the lean old wolf. Sprinting singles in the heat, concerned with meeting a standard more than the score. Piling into Marnus Labuschagne’s short balls, no hesitation whistling boundaries from a part-timer. Ruthless, as his team was. With India 453 runs ahead, Kohli argued with the umpire about a wide.
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