Virat Kohli under injury cloud after appearing to struggle with back complaint during Boxing Day Test

Indian fans will be waiting with bated breath for news on their champion captain Virat Kohli who looks to have injured his back. Was it just a little tightness, or something more sinister?

Boxing Day test match. Day 2. Australia vs India at the MCG. Virat Kohli of India with team physio Pat Farhart just after lunch . Pic: Michael Klein

• ‘Could’ve been killed’: Aussie great lashes Perth deck
• Cricket Australia’s $4m Warner-Smith conundrum

India has played down fears that captain Virat Kohli’s temperamental back might have flared up on the MCG dung heap.

Kohli received treatment from the Indian physio on day two and three wild swings later he was out for 82, uncharacteristically throwing away an almost guaranteed century.

Having faced a whopping 204 deliveries as part of India’s hard slog on a turgid pitch, Kohli’s sudden decision to throw the bat suggested – a player of his unrivalled skill and temperament – might have been in significant physical discomfort.

Virat Kohli receives treatment from team physio Pat Farhart. Picture: Michael Klein

MORE CRICKET NEWS

SURVEY: MCG slammed in stadium wars

WATCH: Kiwi takes incredible 6-4 in 15 balls

Kohli being caught on the fence at wide third man trying to slash at Mitchell Starc raised instant question marks.

India has denied there is an issue with Kohli, but the master batsman has struggled with a problem all year as a back injury forced him to pull out of county cricket in England back in May.

Reports in India have said Kohli slipped a disc in his lower back earlier in the year due to an overload of batting and playing county cricket for Surrey would have jeopardised his fitness for the Indian Test series in England that was to follow.

CRICKET UNFILTERED: The Herald Sun’s Sam Landsberger and Tom ‘Supercoach’ Sangster join the show to wrap up all the headlines including Cameron Bancroft and Steve Smith’s explosive interviews and the latest in the BBL.

MORE CRICKET NEWS

‘WE PAY YOU TO WIN’: Rant that sparked cricket’s toxic culture

SPEAK UP: Warner urged to clear air after being thrown under bus

Kohli missed the deciding fourth Test of the Border-Gavaskar series against Australia in early 2017 with a shoulder injury, and Indian officials will be desperately hoping their most influential figure can back up in Sydney on January 3 for what shapes as a do-or-die finale.

However, the sight of Kohli leading his chargers back out to field in the final hour of play suggested the warrior will fight on despite looking in obvious discomfort.

Virat Kohli of India bats during day two

The soreness Kohli was experiencing after his long stint might have been nothing compared to the anguish of the Australian bowlers who were forced to trundle through nearly 170 overs on a disastrous wicket.

Australia’s bowlers have found less seam and movement in this Test than they have had at home in five years.

Despite the dire conditions, India’s slow march towards 7(dec)-443 was a model of professionalism.

Virat Kohli looks dejected after his dismissal. Picture: Getty

The new ‘Wall’ of Indian cricket, Cheteshwar Pujara carved out another soul-destroying hundred – his second of the series – to demoralise Australia’s bowlers, who still have another innings in Melbourne and Test in Sydney to go.

Melbourne’s pitch of boredom would have taken Pujara and Kohli back to Bangalore and the other flat, featureless decks of their homeland.

The Indians simply relished in it.

Led by Pujara and Kohli and later Rohit Sharma (63 not out), India were unhurried and unflappable.

They played with great patience and precision against an honourable attack, who found they simply couldn’t find any devil in the back-breaking conditions.

Australia’s plight was plunged into further desperation by the fact they dropped a handful of simple catches, including Sharma when he was just 15.

Pujara (328) and Kohli (259) dominate the run-scoring tally for the series by the length of the straight, with Australia yet to find a batsmen to post a century.

***Every Test, ODI, T20I, and BBL match live & ad-break free during play. SIGN UP NOW!

Originally published as Virat Kohli under injury cloud after appearing to struggle with back complaint during Boxing Day Test