Cricket Australia XI v India: Aaron Hardie cuts short Virat Kohli stroll as part of four wicket haul at SCG
Little-known West Australian Aaron Hardie is yet to play a Sheffield Shield game but in consecutive seasons playing for the Cricket Australia XI he’s now knocked over Joe Root and Virat Kohli.
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Virat Kohli’s plans to take a full head of steam into next week’s first Test were cut down on Thursday by Australian cricket’s ‘Captain Killer’.
Little-known West Australian Aaron Hardie is yet to play a Sheffield Shield game for his state but in consecutive seasons playing for the Cricket Australia XI he’s now knocked over touring captains, and the world’s two best batsmen, Joe Root and Kohli.
Hardie, 19, hails from the same Perth club as Cameron Bancroft and is another athletic machine after Justin Langer’s own heart.
Langer loves Bancroft for his work ethic and dedication, but in WA’s pre-season, Hardie lapped Bancroft to break his record for the 2km time trial and left the rest of the Warriors’ squad for dead in an example of his fitness prowess.
Now he could be on the cusp of a WA debut next week when the Marsh brothers go up to the Australian side after nabbing King Kohli caught and bowled for 64 as part of a four-wicket haul the 19-year-old won’t soon forget.
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Root didn’t make a hundred last Ashes summer after Hardie got his number in the warm-up, and Australia will be desperately hoping the ‘Captain Killer’ has struck again as Kohli eyes off his favourite ground Adelaide – where he has made three centuries at an ominous average of 98.
Kohli averages over 50 in every Australian city he’s visited, except Brisbane, which India have avoided this tour.
But Hardie found the smallest chink in his armour on Thursday to give the champ something to think about ahead of the first Test starting on December 6.
“It was a pretty amazing feeling. It all happened very quickly because he was smacking me around the park a little bit and then next minute he hit one back to me,” said Hardie.
“It was an awesome feeling. A bit surreal.
“I’d say the Virat Kohli (dismissal trumped getting Root). I’d take both of them though.”
Hardie cheekily recalls appealing for an lbw for Root, only for him to be given out caught behind – and similarly the teenager will take the good fortune of having Kohli smack one back to him.
He revealed Bancroft – banned for nine months over the ball-tampering scandal – has served as a mentor to him in the past few months.
“Cameron’s been absolutely awesome this season,” he said.
“He ran a full pre-season for Willetton (club side) back home, scored a few runs for us recently as well. He’s been awesome. He’s been down to training at least half an hour early, every training session.
“He’s been giving throwdowns to the third and fourth graders. He’s been an awesome influence.”
India’s star batsmen mostly got their eyes in with opener Prithvi Shaw, No.3 Cheteshwar Pujara, Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane and Hanuma Vihari all making 50s and Rohit Sharma scoring 40.
Publicly India have denied being angry at the standard of opposition served up for them by Cricket Australia, but behind closed doors it’s understood they’re fuming.
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Originally published as Cricket Australia XI v India: Aaron Hardie cuts short Virat Kohli stroll as part of four wicket haul at SCG
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