Sydney bows down to India's crown jewels Rohit & Kohli

CHENNAI: For over two hours on Saturday afternoon, the TV sets in a vast number of households across India had the same channel on. The remote was locked away just in case somebody dared change the channel. A few timezones away in Sydney, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli were gradually turning the clock back to a time when the cricketing world revolved around these old dogs, the two dads who had come to represent the two lungs of Indian cricket.

At the same ground in 2008, one Indian fan had come prepared with a famous banner. "Commit all your crimes," it began. "when Sachin is batting. They will go unnoticed for even the lord is busy watching him."

On Saturday, even the ones committing the crimes would have tuned in because how could one not? In isolation, the third match of a three-match series with the series already decided generally means there's nothing but some pride to play for. Like some extras playing with cards at the poker table after the money has been locked away for the night.

But Saturday wasn't going to be that way. There were enough stakes in this supposed 'dead rubber'. Would Kohli get off nought? What would Sharma conjure up after a streaky 50 second time out? Would this be the pair's last-ever ODI? After over 575 ODIs, 24000 runs and 80 100s between them, surely this wouldn't be it? Would the light that has burned inside their collective bellies for so long flicker long enough for their employers to give all six remaining ODIs remaining this season? Would the joie de vivre and the intensity that they showed for so long be on display to give their fans something to hang on to in the December first week of their careers?

Both of them answered yes in a manner that was so them. Both of them, in an unbroken second wicket stand worth 168 off 170, showed why they have been so successful in this format for so long. The ticker-tape fell down to coronate Australia's 2-1 series win but it really did feel like an evening that belonged to the two veterans of Indian cricket.

Chasing a below 237, the pair got together after Shubman Gill's dismissal in the 11th over. Kohli celebrated ever so quietly after opening his account for the first time this series. He almost got himself into a tangle when cutting Adam Zampa in the air through backward point. On another day, it may have brought about a wicket. On Saturday, though, he wasn't going to be denied. He refocused and his bellwether shot helped him along the way. The single to all sides of the wicket. In all, there were 36 ones and five doubles. When hunting a target, it's what he has done for a very long time.

Play the situation, cut undue risks, pace the innings and never let the asking rate balloon to an unmanageable rate.

If Kohli did what he has always done, Sharma, in his own way, did what he has always done. Go aerial, try to get ahead of the equation and bring out the sweep to spin. If he displayed ring rust in each of the first two games, this was a far more assured innings from the opener. In the process, he brought up yet another ODI 100 — his 33rd — in the format.

After the match, they were both summoned for an in-ground interview with the broadcaster and what they said was very revealing. Sharma said they wanted to 'start fresh' when they landed in Perth for the start of the series. "... whenever you get an opportunity to play, you've got to come and start fresh, and that's what we did. When we arrived in Perth, forget what has happened in the last 15-17 years, wanted to start fresh," the 38-year-old said. When asked if the 'two old dogs still had sting in the tail', Sharma said: "looks like it, yes."

Kohli managed to see the lighter side of things when he said he was relieved to make a run. "Good to be out of the pond, honestly," the 36-year-old said. "You've scored so many runs in international cricket, but then the game shows you everything. Even at this stage, 37 and not many days old and still can feel like I don't know how to get a run. I mean this game is amazing.

"That's why we love batting, we love batsmanship, and it's so challenging when it's not going your way and just to find your rhythm again."

The bigger challenge now is to keep at it and display this again against South Africa at home during the ODI leg.

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