England vs India 2018: Virat Kohli is back in England

Life throws challenges at you, and so does cricket. And that is why you may often come across the ‘Cricket is life’ terminology. Rings a bell, isn’t it?

The first Test against England is currently underway at Edgbaston in Birmingham, and as we are into Day 3, it is poised as good as ever. If we rewind the last two days in quick succession, it has been nothing but some exciting couple days of cricket. England being all out for 287, India somehow gasped their way near that total, young Sam Curran knocking the high-profile Indian top-order over, and Ravichandran Ashwin making Alastair Cook his official bunny, dismissing him almost the same way twice in the match.

One factor not mentioned above is Virat Kohli himself, for he deserves a little longer discussion and appreciation. He surely does, for sure.

The Indian skipper rode his luck a bit to stand in England’s way and thwart them of taking a big lead. From 100/5 to 182/8, he took India to 274 before being dismissed for 149. A fine, fine innings.

If we have seen Kohli race away to centuries and double centuries in no time, this was an innings where he had everything but time. Wickets were falling like nine pins around him, and all he could do was watch the batsman after batsman walk back, leaving him alone out there in the middle.

What a knock that was, full of grit, determination and intent. This one has to go right there at the top in his list of Test centuries, even above the double hundreds he has made. He had everything going against him - the past record, media comparisons, wickets falling in heaps, Anderson almost getting him out, and a major task of fighting it out with the tail-enders. And he did it, with flair and relative ease.

It was just fitting that Kohli had to start his English Test tourney facing Anderson first-up. The contest was on, but he did not back down. There were no signs of lack of composure or the feeling of being out of place. The hundred celebration said it all, it relieved him of the excess baggage he was carrying or that was put on to him by many.

England did fight back, but the moral victory lies with India, courtesy Kohli. The smile on his face after his dismissal said it all. Well, all this after leading the side deserves nothing less than a standing ovation.

It might be too early to talk numbers, but it would still give some perspective. In 2014, Kohli faced 288 balls for 134 runs in 10 innings. Currently, he has faced 225 balls and scored 149 runs in just one innings. He left 26 deliveries alone, not offering a shot. He did not fall prey to his off-side play, something which Anderson was trying him to draw into. And in the process, he has single-handedly turned the course of the game.

If 2014 was a horror, 2018 has started as a fairytale. If 2014 was a sin, 2018 is redemption time. Kohli has scored runs at home and all over the world, barring England. And for many of us under the big, blue sky, this was to be his final frontier.

Hasn’t he embraced the challenge with open arms and warm hugs? He definitely, has.