WTC Final 2023: Virat Kohli gets captured giving pep talk to Team India ahead of Third session on Day 3

With Day Three of the World Test Championship final well underway, the Indian team put in impressive fightback with the bat. Ajinkya Rahane and Shardul Thakur were the stars with the bat. Both batters' valiant knocks helped the side post 296 runs on the board in the first innings. 

Coming in to bowl, the Rohit Sharma-led side struck early as Mohammed Siraj sent veteran batter David Warner packing for just one run. Furthermore, just before the third session of Day 3 got underway, ace Indian batter Virat Kohli was seen giving a long pep talk to the team in a huddle.

It has been well established that when Kohli was the captain of India, the side flourished in Test cricket as they showcased an aggressive brand of cricket. Seeing the 34-year-old give a pep talk to the bowlers would help them gain confidence and further build upon Warner’s early dismissal.

Leader Kohli giving pep talk in WTC final pic.twitter.com/aHbmB1YDgT

— W. (@CFCstorm_) June 9, 2023

India strike once again with Usman Khawaja’s dismissal

Following the dismissal of David Warner, Marnus Labuschagne and Usman Khawaja looked to amass some important runs for the Aussies in the second innings. However, India struck once again, and this time, it was the brilliance of Umesh Yadav that sent Khawaja straight back to the pavilion. It was on the first ball of the 15th over when Khawaja knicked the ball straight to KS Bharat.

Yadav’s first wicket of the match saw the 36-year-old Australian batter dismissed for 13 runs. India’s middle-order batters stabilised the innings for the side in the first innings, and the Rohit Sharma-led side seems to have followed it up with a similar display with the ball as well. Being already two wickets down, it could be interesting to see how the Aussies bounce back from the early setback. However, they do possess firepower in their middle order with the likes of Steve Smith, Marnus Labuschagne, Travis Head, and many more.