File image of Virat Kohli.© AFP

Former Australian batter Simon Katich took a hard dig at Virat Kohli’s dismissal during India’s second innings of the Boxing Day Test, saying “The king is dead,” when India’s star batter fell cheaply to Mitchell Starc for 5 runs at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) on Sunday. Set a challenging target of 340 runs, India suffered a major setback in the first session of Day 5. Kohli, batting on 3, was dismissed in the final over before the lunch break, edging a wide delivery from Mitchell Starc to the slips.

Kohli had a forgetful outing in the series so far; he started off with a dismal score of five before scoring a century in the second innings in the series opener in Perth. Since then, he has registered scores of 7, 11, 3, 36, and 5 in the next five innings, aggregating a total of  67 runs in four matches.

“The King is dead. He trudges off. King Bumrah has taken the mantle now. Kohli looks dejected with himself. That was a big knock for him. He has come up short. Australia will be very, very happy with the situation they find themselves in.”

Bumrah has almost singlehandedly kept India alive in this Test series, having taken 30 wickets at an average of 12.83 in eight innings. He has played 44 Test matches and taken 203 wickets.

Kohli’s dismissal left India reeling at 33 for 3 by the lunch interval, with their hopes of salvaging the Test hanging by a thread. Post lunch, India mounted a spirited fightback, courtesy of Rishabh Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal. The pair exhibited composure and grit, stitching together a crucial 88-run stand. However, the resistance crumbled after the tea break, when Pant succumbed to a rush of blood as he was dismissed for 30.

The visitors’ lost their last seven wickets for 34 runs in 20.3 overs. The last Indian wicket fell with less than 14 overs remaining in the day, with Nathan Lyon dismissing Mohammed Siraj to send the MCG crowd in excess of 74,000 into raptures as an epic contest between the two arch-rivals came to an end.

For India, they will be disappointed, as it was a game that they could have drawn but have now ended up on the losing side.

Young Sam Konstas will gradually come to understand the beauty and vagaries of Test cricket, much like Jasprit Bumrah demonstrated to him in the second essay of the Boxing Day Test, following the debutant’s fiery first-innings fifty, feels former Australian opener Simon Katich. Katich, who played 56 Tests for Australia between 2001 to 2010, wants Konstas to retain his unconventional batting style as no one expects a 19-year-old to be a finished product.

“Look its tough and there is always going to be hype when you have a 19-year-old making debut because he is in rare company at his age,” Katich told PTI during an interview.

Konstas scored 60 off 65 balls in the first innings. He hit a conventional lap scoop for maximum and pulled off a reverse lap scoop behind square against Bumrah before walking down the track to smash a six over mid-wicket all in one over.

However, the world’s best fast bowler in contemporary times bowled a perfect off-cutter to clean the debutant up for 8 in the second innings.

“What we saw from him in the first innings at the MCG was unbelievable courage, given the conditions he faced and the challenge of playing against arguably the best bowler in the series — Jasprit Bumrah.

“Yes, he found a way to counter him with the ramp shot. It was unconventional but we know that the game is being played differently now.” “In the second innings, Konstas saw that Test cricket is not going to be easy. The conditions always change and you have to deal with Bumrah.

“Given he is only 19, no one expects him to be a finisher. He has lots to learn and gain experience, but obviously he’s got potential and talent,” said the left-hander, who scored 10 Test hundreds for Australia, including a couple against India.” Does he find streaks of David Warner in Konstas’ aggression, Katich feels that similarity with the just-retired left-hander ends with temperament and gameplan.

“There are certainly aspects of temperament and gameplan, modern-age thinking but in terms of style, he is a very different type of player than Warner as Konstas is much taller. He can run towards the bowler, down the track to put them off length.

“Not saying Warner can’t do that but different types players, but he should try and be himself throughout his career.”

Time for selectors to think beyond Marsh

Katich agrees that if Mitchell Marsh isn’t contributing with the ball, then Australia’s National Selection Panel will need to have a look at the combination considering the all-rounder’s poor returns with the bat.

“No doubt Marsh is under pressure because he isn’t bowling so much. Even after Josh Hazlewood got injured, he only bowled two overs on a day when Cummins and Starc had to share the workload.” “There were questions, he then missed out with the bat at MCG and hasn’t been able to fulfil the role with the ball. The selectors have a decision to make at the end of this Test.”

Talking about Mitchell Starc’s dodgy back and a possible replacement, Katich believes it will either be reserves Jhye Richardson or Sean Abbott.

However, he marked tall left-arm pacer Spencer Johnson as a future contender, provided he continues to bowl extensively for South Australia.

“If they are being consistent, then guys who have come as cover, Jhye Richardson or Sean Abbott will be in the mix. Spencer Johnson is playing in Big Bash League and is coming back after a toe injury. It is one thing bowling four overs in BBL and bowling 22 to 25 overs in a Test match is completely different, backing it up day after day.

“Something they (coaching staff) will know better with workloads and managements. I do think Spencer is a potential Test player. He has skills and capability but he has to play more matches (Sheffield Shield) for South Australia.”

Bumrah is best fast bowler now

Having played a considerable amount of cricket against India, Katich considers Jasprit Bumrah one of the best overseas pacers to have travelled Down Under in the last two decades.

“No doubt that of all the players I have seen or played against in last 20 odd years, Bumrah’s numbers speak for themselves. One that got Alex Carey, the ball was seaming back, knocking down his stumps was an absolute beauty. Young Konstas got one that pegged back and hit top of middle, great control and skill-set to work batsmen out.” Asked what makes Bumrah special, Katich said: “Great pace. Yes, he has unique action. The fact that he gets movement both ways and hits the length and an area at will.

“He has got great control, yorker, bouncer, length and adjusting lines whether to get an LBW or bowling in the channel to get an outside edge, backed up by his pace.”

Former cricketer Simon Katich has advised Australian batters to concentrate on rotating the strike and maintaining a solid defence to succeed against the peerless Indian pacer Jasprit Bumrah. Katich noted that since Bumrah rarely bowls loose deliveries, the Australians must be strategically good in their approach. “I know all the talk is around having more positive intent, and I think that’s all well and good and it is certainly something they have to be mindful of. But against someone like Bumrah intent is not about just blazing him for fours, because he doesn’t bowl many bad balls,” Katich told SEN 1116.

“So a lot of that intent has to be about rotating strike and being able to defend really well, because you’re not gonna be able to play with any intent if you aren’t there after the tenth over. That’s the challenge for all of these guys,” Katich added.

To illustrate his point, Katich made a reference to Australia’s second innings in the third Test at Brisbane, where the hosts attempted an aggressive approach but ultimately lost their wickets.

“We saw it in the second innings in Brisbane. Australians came out with really positive intent, trying to score more quickly and look what happened, 7/80 in no time.

“It’s not easy to do against the red ball that moves around off the seam in a wearing wicket which the Gabba was starting to become with cracks.

“The top order has to be very careful and mindful of how they go about it. You’re not going to score many runs if you’re trying to take him on off the length, because he is so good,” he added.

For the remaining two Tests, Australia has opted to place their trust in teenage sensation Sam Konstas, replacing opener Nathan McSweeney, who was given a maiden call-up ahead of the series.

“I know the young kid’s (Konstas) got a lot of potential, and a lot of ability, but it’ll be a challenge because not many guys around the world have been able to do that to that quality of bowling,” Katich said.

Marsh should make way for Webster

Katich also felt Mitchell Marsh’s inability to bowl the expected volume of overs suggests he isn’t “100%” fit and should be replaced by uncapped rookie Beau Webster for the Boxing Day Test against India.

Marsh has been dealing with recurring back stiffness since the white-ball tour of the UK in September. During the Perth Test, he bowled 17 overs in total, taking two wickets on the opening day but later pulled up sore.

In Adelaide, he bowled four overs while in Brisbane he rolled his arm for two overs.

“I’ve been saying for a couple Tests, Mitch Marsh has not been able to bowl the volume of overs that everyone expected of him. Given the conditions and given he is a wicket taker,” Katich said on ‘SEN Breakfast’.

“We saw that in Perth, he bowled well on day one. Took some key wickets and then struggled to back up. I mean obviously the Aussie hierarchy know better then we do around where his fitness is at.

“But for him to bowl two overs the other day after Josh Hazlewood went down, that to me indicates something’s not 100% right with him.” After Marsh had pulled up sore, 30-year-old Tasmania all-rounder Webster was added to Australia’s squad.

“At the end of the day, Beau Webster deserves to be in that squad,” Katich said.

“He’s done very well for Tassie in the last few years, he’s a genuine all-rounder given what his role is for Tassie and he plays that dual role with bat and ball,” Katich added.

Travis Head hit an upper cut to Mohammed Siraj© X (Twitter)

Simon Katich has criticised India captain Rohit Sharma for his bowling changes in Adelaide.© AFP

Former Australian captain Mark Taylor believes Mohammed Siraj has a tendency of celebrating wickets prematurely without waiting for the umpire’s decision and his senior India teammates should have a word with the pacer to address this as it is giving him a “bad look”. Taylor said Siraj charges down the wicket towards his teammates, without checking the umpire’s decision when he thinks that he has got a batter out. “I think with Mohammed Siraj, I’d like to see some of the Indian players have a chat with him, not so much what happened with Travis Head but how when he thinks he’s got a batter out he doesn’t turn around and actually acknowledge the umpire whether he’s given it out or not,” Taylor told Nine News.

“I think that’s the bad look for him and the game.”

“I love his exuberance, I love his competitive nature, I love the fact we’ve got a really good series going on but there is also the respect of the game that needs to be upheld. I think a little word from one of the senior players would go a long way.”

Siraj has become a topic of discussion after his brief showdown with Travis Head on day two of the Adelaide Test, which Australia won by 10 wickets to level the series 1-1.

Head had struck a splendid 141-ball knock of 140 before being castled by Siraj, who went on to give him an aggressive send-off following an exchange of words. The Indian endured booes from the Adelaide crowd following the confrontation.

Both players were handed one demerit point each on their disciplinary records with Siraj also receiving a fine of 20 percent of his match fee.

“I love the combative nature of Head and Siraj, but it has to be kept in check because the last thing we want to see in this game is that developing into a batsman maybe whacking a bowler.

“They get close together in that sort of situation and you don’t want to see that. So the administrators need to keep a check on that, and so do the two captains,” Taylor added.

Former Australia batter Simon Katich felt Siraj had a “brain fade” moment, which the Indian regretted later.

“It’s a shame that Siraj had a bit of a brain fade…there’s no need for that in the game,” Katich said SEN Radio.

“He would regret that Siraj… it was all spur of the moment and when he got Mitchell Starc out not long after that he was pretty sheepish.

“You don’t know what head space some of the players are in at times… he was probably disappointed with his performance and something like this can happen,” he added.