Watch: Virat Kohli-Rohit Sharma Furiously Scold Kuldeep Yadav

Besides his incredible performance with the bat, Virat Kohli always involves himself around the field and puts himself into the hotspot zone to make sure the ball follows him. That always provides him an opportunity to make an impact in the game and the picture was nothing different during the first semifinal of the Champions Trophy 2025.

After Virat Kohli’s incredible knock against Pakistan on February 23 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, the veteran addressed how he has been monitoring his body to keep full fitness under the scorching heat of the venue.

Watch: Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma rebuke Kuldeep Yadav for missed run-out opportunity

For any side to beat Australia across formats, the basic aim is to take all the opportunities. A slip in the field or a miss judgment in taking a decision could easily bring the opponents back in the contest. India kept their line and length tight against the opponent batters at the start and was rewarded with the wicket of Copper Connolly.

Also Read: Pakistan ODI And T20I Squad vs New Zealand Revealed!! Babar Azam Dropped

Travis Head nearly brought back the nightmare for the Indian side of the past with some powerful shots around the park. But Varun Chakravarthy sent back the southpaw in his very first over to relieve the dressing room. Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne put up a half-century stand for the third wicket between them.

On the fifth ball of the 32nd over, Kuldeep Yadav went with a full delivery into the off-stump as Smith used his feet to flick the ball into the on side towards deep mid-wicket for a single. Virat Kohli rushed to the ball and, in the blink of an eye, threw the ball back to the bowler.

Kuldeep just extended his arm but failed to collect the ball and make the most of the chance. The ball rolled into the cover region to Rohit Sharma, as the Indian captain wasn’t happy with it and busted into anger by giving back a few words.

The camera also found Virat Kohli showing his anger at the left-arm wrist spinner for his error as he looked furiously at Kuldeep for the missed fielding opportunity.

God bless Kuldeep Yadav 😭#INDvsAUSpic.twitter.com/aSmbPHgQPO

— Sunil the Cricketer (@1sInto2s) March 4, 2025

Kuldeep Yadav and Virat Kohli’s contrasting performances in ICC knockouts

It was the third knockout clash for Kuldeep in consecutive years, and he is yet to collect a wicket in these affairs. At the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, he was smashed for 56 runs without any wicket in 10 overs.

The same struggle continued in the T20 World Cup 2024 final against South Africa, where he ended with figures of 0/45 in four overs at an economy of 11.20. Even in the Champions Trophy 2025 final, he bowled eight overs and leaked 44 runs without success. These are quite poor numbers from the veteran.

Also Read: Yograj Singh Targets Pakistan As He Fumes On Congress Leader For Body-Shaming Rohit Sharma

In contrast, Virat Kohli always finds the big stage to score runs for the national side. The right-handed batter smashed an unbeaten 58 and 96 runs in two past semifinals against Sri Lanka and Bangladesh in the competition and backed it up by an 84-run knock in Dubai against Australia.

India hopes to stretch ICC events’ record

For 11 long years, the Indian side couldn’t win anything in the ICC events, continuously slipping in the finals and semifinals. But the T20 World Cup 2024 victory broke the jinx, and they now aim to extend their proud moment into the Champions Trophy.

The Blue Brigade will wait for a day to know their opponents. One of South Africa and New Zealand from the second semifinal at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore will join them in the party on March 09 for the final.