IND vs AUS: Virat Kohli and KL Rahul shine with sensible 50s, delight Indian fans

The way these two batsmen rotated the strike and played sensibly earned appreciation from Indian fans.

KL Rahul vs Virat Kohli - Chennai Super Kings (CSK) Twitter

After Team India suffered the loss of three key wickets - Ishan Kishan, Rohit Sharma, and Shreyas Iyer, who all departed without scoring a run, the team found itself in a precarious position with the scoreboard reading 5-3. Nevertheless, Virat Kohli and KL Rahul stepped up to stabilize the innings and exert pressure on the Australian side at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.

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Kohli initially played cautiously but capitalized on loose deliveries. He was given a lifeline when dropped by Mitch Marsh early in his innings, and he made the most of this opportunity. Kohli reached his half-century to the applause of the Chepauk crowd.

KL Rahul also notched up his half-century, reinforcing his ability to rescue the team from early setbacks and prompting discussions about whether he should be promoted to the No. 4 position.

The way these two batsmen rotated the strike and played sensibly earned appreciation from Indian fans.

Earlier in the match, Chepauk fell into an unusual silence as Australia's bowlers made early breakthroughs. Mitchell Starc dismissed Ishan Kishan, while Josh Hazlewood accounted for the dismissals of both Rohit Sharma and Shreyas Iyer.

In the first innings, Australia, choosing to bat first, encountered early struggles as they lost Mitch Marsh in the initial phases of the match. Despite the efforts of David Warner and Steve Smith to rebuild the innings, India achieved a crucial breakthrough with the dismissal of Warner.

Subsequently, the spinners took control of the match, with Ravindra Jadeja claiming three wickets and Kuldeep Yadav and Jasprit Bumrah securing two wickets each. Mohammed Siraj, R Ashwin, and Hardik Pandya also chipped in with one wicket apiece.

On the Australian side, Steve Smith emerged as the top run-scorer, amassing 46 runs, while David Warner (41), Marnus Labuschagne (27), and Mitchell Starc (28) attempted to boost the scoreboard but encountered challenges along the way.

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