R. Ashwin’s Heart-Pounding Moment: Fearing ‘Virat Kohli Scare’ During Clash Against Australia

In a thrilling Cricket World Cup 2023 opener on Sunday, the Indian cricket team emerged victorious against Australia. The match witnessed a brilliant partnership between Virat Kohli and KL Rahul, which proved to be the turning point in the chase of Australia’s 201-run target. However, what might have been a different outcome hinged on a crucial moment – the dropped catch of Virat Kohli. The significance of Kohli’s wicket is not lost on anyone, not just the fans but also his fellow teammates.

After India secured the win, Ravichandran Ashwin, one of India’s star players, revealed the tense atmosphere in the dressing room when Kohli’s wicket was almost taken. Ashwin confessed that when Kohli hit the ball in the air, he couldn’t contain his anxiety and rushed out of the dressing room, fearing that the talismanic batter might be dismissed cheaply.

The early moments of the game were quite nerve-wracking for India, as they lost quick wickets at the top, with the likes of Ishan Kishan, Rohit Sharma, and Shreyas Iyer all departing without scoring any runs. Kohli, the linchpin of the Indian team, could have met a similar fate if it weren’t for Mitchell Marsh dropping his catch.

Ashwin vividly described his reaction: “When I saw Virat Kohli’s ball go up in the air, I ran outside the dressing room. I literally ran all the way outside. I didn’t know what to do. I was like ‘just wake me up when it’s all over.’ It was that sort of a feeling.”

He further elaborated on the gravity of the situation: “Look, I think we have found ourselves in this sort of situation in important big games. When you play Australia, it’s never a small game. You do well, shot them off for 199. You think you are going to coast home, and then the last thing you want is Virat Kohli getting out like that. The moment the crowd erupted, I ran back into the dressing room. I stood in the same place for the entire innings. My feet are actually paining.”

The dropped catch gave Kohli a lifeline, and he made the most of it, contributing a valuable 85 runs before eventually being dismissed by Josh Hazlewood. However, by then, both Kohli and Rahul had done enough to tilt the match in India’s favor. Their partnership of 165 runs paved the way for India to secure a convincing 6-wicket win, with Rahul remaining unbeaten on 97 as India triumphed with 52 balls to spare.