Australia fast bowler Scott Boland, who dismissed Virat Kohli for the fourth time in Tests on Friday, shared that the Australian bowlers have a clear strategy for getting the Indian superstar out.
“We’ve got pretty set plans on how we want to bowl to him. He tends to leave a lot of balls, but once he settles in, he looks to play. So, once he gets in, we try to adjust our lines a bit to the fifth stump, and it’s working right now,” Boland explained on Fox Cricket.
Kohli, who had earlier survived a catch attempt in the 8th over, made 17 runs before Boland got him out with an outside-off delivery in the 32nd over.
Earlier in the match, Kohli had edged a length ball from Boland to second slip, where Steve Smith was stationed. Smith dived low to his right, seemingly catching the ball near the ground, but then flicked it toward gully, where Marnus Labuschagne completed the catch.
The on-field umpires referred the decision to TV umpire Joel Wilson, who, after reviewing the replays, determined the ball had touched the ground before Smith flicked it upward, ruling Kohli not out.
“100 percent; no denying it whatsoever, 100 percent. But the umpire made the call, and we’ll move on,” Smith said on Fox Sports when asked about the catch.
At the end of the day’s play, Australia were 9/1, trailing India by 176 runs in the 5th and final Test of the Border Gavaskar Trophy. India leads the series 2-1, with wins in Adelaide and Melbourne, while Australia claimed victory in the first Test at Perth.