It might not be exactly the same as Kohli and Anderson but the Kohli-Hazlewood duel on Day 2 of second India vs Australia Test match at the Optus Stadium in Perth, was right up there with both the batsman and the bowler having their moments on a gruelling day of Test cricket. But in the end, it would be the Indian captain, who would have better sleep not because he is still unbeaten and India are giving a brilliant reply to Australia’s 326 but because Kohli braved a brilliant spell of fast bowling and emerged on top of Hazlewood.
India were tottering at 8 for 2, losing both openers – Murali Vijay (0) and KL Rahul (2) - to full, straight deliveries when Kohli made his way into the centre. Hazlewood had his tail up after castling Rahul with an outswinging yorker but Kohli decided to fight fire with fire.
Kohli was off the blocks with a picture-perfect on drive off Hazlewood in only his second ball. But the real treat for the crowd came a few overs later when Kohli hit Hazlewood for three fours – each better than the previous one - in 10th over.
Hazlewood perhaps got carried away with the movement on offer and erred on the fuller side of the length. Kohli first flicked him past mid-wicket and then drove him straight down the ground to make it two in two and when he again tried to correct his line, Kohli used his wrists to collect his third boundary of the over in the fourth ball.