Conquering the King: How Hazlewood got the better of Kohli

Indian superstar Virat Kohli tapped his bat twice on the pitch at Perth Stadium and looked up to see Australian fast bowler Josh Hazlewood steaming in for the 13th over of this summer’s Border-Gavaskar trophy.

With his side in trouble at 2-18, millions of Indian fans held their breath to watch the most recognisable cricketer in the world try to wrestle back momentum.

What ensued was a bowling masterclass from Hazlewood, who needed just 10 balls to remove the king of Indian cricket and inflict an early psychological blow on the most influential batsman in the visiting change room.

Kohli’s dismissal – caught at first slip by Usman Khawaja for five runs – was one poor shot in isolation but the culmination of a perfectly executed plan from a crafty bowler.

Here’s how it played out.

Virat Kohli was dismissed for five on Friday. Credit: Getty Images

The history

Hazlewood has had moderate success against Kohli in Tests, having bowled to him in 11 matches since 2014. It took Hazlewood just four balls to remove Kohli in the Brisbane Test of 2014 when they first locked horns.

Before this series, Kohli averaged 55.67 with the bat against Hazlewood, slightly above his career mark of 47.83. Hazlewood had removed Kohli on three occasions and conceded 167 runs. In Australia, Kohli averaged 80 against Hazlewood.

Australia got their wish: to get Kohli in early.

Ball one

Kohli, in a statement of intent, decides to bat out of his crease. It’s not something he always does in red-ball cricket, but he tried to change Hazlewood’s length on a bouncy Perth pitch. The delivery is right in the corridor of uncertainty and Kohli gets squared up, with his back leg flicking out towards point and chest facing Hazlewood. It is a pleasing sign for the Australians. No run.

Virat Kohli at the crease.Credit: AP

Ball two

When Kohli takes guard, his back toe is outside the off stump. He wants to get his front pad outside the off stump. Hazlewood notices this and fires in a straighter delivery on about middle stump. Kohli tries to work it into the leg side but gets a leading edge into the off side. One of the Indian’s best strengths is his strokeplay through mid-wicket, so already, there are early danger signs. He practises the shot after the miscue. Kohli is off-balance too, something Australia’s men behind the wicket would have picked up.

Ball three

Hazlewood is in no mood to throw in a bouncer or change his line. It’s again at the top of off stump, and for a third delivery in a row, Kohli doesn’t get it out of the middle of his bat. It squirts into the slips cordon, and you can tell Hazlewood feels like he’s got the ball on a string.

Ball four

Same ball, different result. Kohli, desperate to get something fuller to punch into a vacant cover region, is hit on the pad, but it’s outside the line of the stumps. Hazlewood has his hands in the air. He is winning this battle.

Kohli works a ball onto the leg side. Credit: Getty Images

Ball five

It takes five balls for Kohli to get a ball off the middle of the bat. This one is worked to mid-wicket but with no real force. No run scored. Importantly for Hazlewood, he keeps Kohli on strike as he continues to attack the stumps.

Ball six

The final ball of the over is probably the best of the lot, as Kohli comes forward and tries to prod at a delivery just outside the off stump. It nips away slightly off the seam and thuds into the gloves of Alex Carey behind the stumps. It is the end of a magnificent over that, importantly, Kohli can’t get a run from.

At the other end, Pat Cummins manages to keep RL Rahul on strike, giving Hazlewood another shot at Kohli. The tension rises.

Ball seven

The first ball of Hazlewood’s sixth over is a little shorter but Kohli, surprisingly, goes to play the ball on the front foot. Instead of quickly pushing back off his front foot and adjusting, Kohli rocks forward and bunts it at his feet. It appears to be a sign that Kohli’s feet aren’t moving as swiftly as he would like.

Ball eight

Another pretty good ball, but finally Kohli works it around the corner and scores a run. There appears to be slight frustration on Hazlewood’s part. Kohli doesn’t face another ball in the over.

Ball nine

Now on five runs, having picked off four more against Cummins, Kohli is back on strike to Hazlewood. The ball is back of a length at 135km/h and defended by Kohli. His technique is compact. His best shot so far to Hazlewood, even if it doesn’t produce a run.

Ball ten

After working Kohli over, Hazlewood’s brilliant plan comes to fruition. With Kohli still out of his crease, Hazlewood drops one a little shorter. The Indian star, once again, pushes forward when he should have rocked back. Kohli realises too late that his weight is too far forward. As he moves his back foot, it’s still in the air as he throws the bat at it and makes contact with the ball. A false shot finally.

Australia celebrate after Josh Hazlewood’s dismissal of Virat Kohli.Credit: AP

It is an indecisive stroke. His balance is all off again, with his chest facing Hazlewood as the ball takes the face of the bat and flies to Khawaja. The Hazlewood examination comes to an end.

The Australians celebrate and Hazlewood is thrilled. At least Kohli survived 12 balls, 11 more than his opposite number, Steve Smith, later in the day.