4th Test: Australia run into Virat Kohli, yet again

SYDNEY: The next legend of Indian batting has arrived. Virat Kohli, combative, feisty, masterful, refreshing, is now adept at the art of forcing the issue with bat in hand.
A breakaway from the age-old mould of Indian captains who found form and responsibility incompatible, Kohli continued taking giant strides towards batting greatness by notching up his fourth century of the series on Thursday.
It was a belter of a pitch but this was also his third century in three innings as skipper. Kohli also continued competing with opposition captain Steve Smith in the notching-records-by-the-dozen department.
Numbers won't convey his iron grip over Australia's bowlers but to put Kohli's efforts in perspective, he went past Rahul Dravid's 619-run tally to become the highest Indian run-scorer in a series Down Under.
He is only the 10th visiting batsman to score 600 runs in a series in Australia, and the third after Herbert Sutcliffe and Wally Hammond to post four centuries in a series here.
The sheer impact of his stint at the crease wowed the SCG, which booed him when he walked in and bowed when he walked out, unconquered on a 140 (214b; 20x4) as India put up a spirited reply, scoring 3425.
They are still 230 behind Australia's first-innings total, however, with Shane Watson pulling things back with the consecutive strikes of Ajinkya Rahane in which India again missed the DRS and Suresh Raina, whose Test comeback lasted one ball as he flirted with an away-going delivery.
The pitch was flat and the orgy of runs was kept in check for large measures by Australia's bowlers, but a couple of dropped catches and a botched run out let them down. It involved their captain Smith on two occasions.
Unlike the man whose spot he took, Shikhar Dhawan, Rahul (110; 262b; 13x4) was a picture of patience and common sense. Luck played its part too.
He survived through the period in the morning session when the Aussies put the choke on the run-scoring as 19 runs came from the first 15 overs, with Rahul and Rohit Sharma playing out seven maidens.
Rahul survived some anxious moments but enjoyed two-and-a-half lives, including a comical run out chance with Kohli fresh at the crease. There was also a faint mark on the glove on the Hotspot as Lyon got one to bounce, plus the Steve Smith drop which involved the Spidercam.
But unlike Rohit, who went for an expansive sweep off a Lyon delivery which was too full and paid the price, Rahul stuck around long enough to make it count.
This young, promising batsman from Bangalore has guaranteed a longer stint at the top. Rohit Sharma, meanwhile, looked good at No. 3 but will be ruing the opportunity lost on this SCG pitch.
The pitch, as on the first two days, was so lifeless, all the Aussies could do was strangle the flow of runs and hope for the best. Lyon was the standout bowler, offering flight, getting enough turn and then throwing in the flatter one or the imitation yorker as a surprise.
The pressure created at the other end helped his cause too, though the butter-fingered effort in the field was a surprise. Apart from Smith's bloopers, Rahane too was dropped at backward square leg, though that didn't prove too costly. Nevertheless, Australia go into Day Four with the upper hand.