Titans snatch victory in extraordinary IPL finish

Yashasvi Jaiswal found himself with a charge in the moment, hitting the ball to mid-on and breaking into a run. Up to that moment, both he and Virat Kohli had been in control, managing their respective positions easily. And like a curveball, they found themselves at the same end, looking at each other. A sudden anticlimax occurred in what was a seamless matchup. Getting your mind around why this was shocking requires understanding the orchestration that led to this event. Moreover, how unpredicted a wicket falling at that stage seemed before Jaiswal drove a ball straight to mid-on and embarked for a run, while Kohli did not reciprocate. The occurrence unfolded during the 41st over of Indian innings. The ball was no longer curving in an extraordinary fashion, as it had done in the preceding 15 or so overs. The opening and No 4 players had constructed a solid 102-run stand, and Pat Cummins, the Australian captain, had thrown his last card on Day 2 by turning to Scott Boland for a late burst under the looming skies at the MCG. Jaiswal, seeming to get into the rhythm, eager to get the game to roll, had sliced the delivery moments before he was dismissed; it ran for four through the backward point. He executed the stroke with a touch of scorn, the ball speeding across the breadth of the MCG. As the two Indian batsmen bumped fists, India had an optimistic outlook, hinting at a powerful finish to a day that began on a sober note for the visitors. A couple of overs earlier, Jaiswal had boldly thrown Mitchell Marsh over the long-on boundary for six. He was seemingly on his way to his second ton of the series. Conversely, Kohli had demonstrated remarkable restraint for a significant part of his innings. He had refrained from engaging with nearly 40 per cent of the balls in the early part of his innings, even when Starc and Cummins continuously attempted to bait him into a misguided drive. Kohli not only took a prudent approach to leaving balls alone, but he also kept his hands very close to his body, a lesson learned from multiple past experiences on the tour. And this time around, the former Indian captain had emerged victorious in the mini-battle.