Virat Kohli

Boland played a key role in Australia bowling out India for 234 on day five at The Oval, taking Virat Kohli and Ravindra Jadeja out in quick succession to set the base for a 209-run victory, as the seamer took five wickets overall in the match. He was selected in the WTC final playing eleven over Michael Neser with Josh Hazlewood unavailable due to injuries.

India's hopes depended on the partnership between Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane as they started playing on the fifth day at 164/3 in their chase of a gigantic target of 444. However, Kohli was the first to get out at 49 as he tried to hit a ball pitched wide off his off-stump and edged to Steve Smith at second slip.

Pujara attempted to leave the ball from Cameron Green which swung in and crashed into the stumps, leaving the batter looking dejected as the stumps went down tumbling. Pujara got out for 14 and what would have disappointed the Indian team management more was that opener Shubman Gill too got out in a similar fashion, against Scott Boland, a few overs earlier.

Gill has shot to prominence in all three formats of the game over the last 12 months. The 23-year-old's exceptional performances include a record-breaking ODI double-century against New Zealand earlier this year. Moreover, the youngster had an impressive Indian Premier League (IPL) campaign where he scored three centuries and amassed a total of 890 runs.

Kohli acknowledged the challenges posed by the pitch and urged his team to approach the game with caution and focus. The 34-year old emphasised the need for experience and flexibility to suit the conditions, highlighting that one cannot rely on past expectations of the pitch.

Kirsten was batting coach and mentor of Gujarat Titans when Gill scored 890 runs in 17 innings, including three centuries, to be the leading run-getter of IPL 2023, as the side finished runners-up in the competition. "He is a young player who has incredible skill and determination to be one of the best players in the world. It would be unfair to compare him to Sachin and Virat so early in his journey."

Hazlewood has spent the past two years with Kohli by his side at Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in the IPL and the experienced Australia quick has seen up close just why the India great continues to be rated as one of the best batters in world cricket.

Kohli, who entered the Indian team after playing for Delhi in domestic cricket, has been a part of the Bangalore franchise since the tournament's inception in 2008. Interestingly, Delhi had picked left-arm pacer Pradeep Sangwan over Kohli during the first-ever IPL player auction, held shortly after the right-handed batter had led India to U-19 Men's Cricket World Cup trophy in Malaysia.

In the tournament, du Plessis, Kohli and Glenn Maxwell were highly touted as the big three for scoring a bulk of runs for the franchise and leading them to victories.

Gill sizzled at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium with an unbeaten 104 off 52 balls, laced with hitting five fours and eight sixes at a strike-rate of 200 to break countless Bangalore-supporting hearts in the stadium and steal the thunder from Virat Kohli's