The Day Entire India Blamed Virat Kohli for the Defeat Against Australia

In cricket, MS Dhoni is rarely seen showing emotions, whether it’s joy, sadness, or frustration. However, during the 2015 ODI World Cup semi-final against Australia, an emotional Dhoni was seen with tears in his eyes during the post-match presentation after India’s defeat and exit from the tournament. While the loss was heartbreaking, much of the blame fell on Virat Kohli, with an entire nation pointing fingers at him for India’s exit. But why was Kohli held responsible for this crucial loss? Let’s take a trip back to 2015 and revisit the moments that led to one of the most talked-about defeats in Indian cricket history.

India vs Australia: 2015 ODI World Cup Semi-Finals

The stage was perfectly set for a high-stakes semi-final clash between India and Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground on March 26, 2015. India, the defending champions, aimed to continue their dominance, while Australia faced immense pressure to secure a win at home in front of their passionate crowd. With a flat pitch favoring batting first, winning the toss was crucial, and Australia seized that advantage by opting to bat. Openers David Warner and Aaron Finch walked out with confidence. Warner showed his aggressive intent early, smashing a boundary and a six in the second over. However, his fiery start was short-lived. In the fourth over, Warner mistimed a delivery from Umesh Yadav and was caught by Virat Kohli for 12 runs, leaving Australia at 15/1.

This brought Australia’s star batsman of the tournament, Steve Smith, to the crease. Smith got off the mark quickly and, along with Finch, began to build the innings cautiously, especially with Umesh Yadav consistently bowling at 150 kmph. Despite several close calls, Smith found his rhythm in the 10th over, hitting four boundaries to push Australia to 56/1. Finch focused on rotating the strike with singles and doubles, while Smith took charge, playing his shots confidently. By the 19th over, Smith reached his half-century off 53 balls, taking Australia to a solid 100/1 and setting the stage for a challenging total.

In the following overs, Australia continued to score steadily. Aaron Finch reached his half-century in 82 balls, guiding the team to 155/1 after 30 overs. With a strong foundation set, Australia needed a big finish, and Steve Smith stepped up. In the 33rd over, Smith smashed Mohammed Shami for 14 runs and brought up his century in just 89 balls. However, his brilliant innings ended in the 35th over when Umesh Yadav’s short ball dismissed him for 105 off 93 balls, leaving Australia at 206/2. Glenn Maxwell then joined Finch at the crease and quickly scored 15 runs off Umesh Yadav. But his stay was short as R Ashwin dismissed him for 23 off 14 balls.

Soon after, Finch also fell to Yadav for a well-made 81 off 116 balls, and Australia found themselves at 235/4 in 39 overs. India continued to pick up wickets, with Mohit Sharma dismissing Michael Clarke for 10 off 12 balls, reducing Australia to 250/5 in 43 overs. Shane Watson and James Faulkner then tried to accelerate the scoring. However, both fell in quick succession in the 47th and 48th overs. Just when it seemed India might restrict Australia, Mitchell Johnson played a crucial cameo. He smashed 27 runs off just 9 balls, providing the late surge Australia needed. His explosive innings helped Australia post a formidable total of 328/7 in their allotted 50 overs, setting a challenging target for India in this high-stakes semi-final.

Chasing a daunting target of 329, India needed a solid start from openers Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan. The pair began cautiously, with Dhawan getting an early reprieve when Brad Haddin dropped a catch behind the stumps. By the end of 9 overs, India was at 33/0 and needed to accelerate. Dhawan responded by smashing 15 runs off James Faulkner’s over, and both openers started finding the boundaries. However, in the 13th over, Josh Hazlewood struck a crucial blow by dismissing Dhawan for a well-made 45 off 41 balls, leaving India at 76/1.

Virat Kohli, India’s most reliable batsman, then walked out to the crease. Sensing the importance of this wicket, Australian captain Michael Clarke brought on Mitchell Johnson to intensify the pressure. Kohli started cautiously, but in the 16th over, he mistimed a pull shot off Johnson, and Brad Haddin made no mistake this time. Kohli was dismissed for just 1 run off 13 balls, leaving India in trouble at 80/2. Ajinkya Rahane then joined Rohit Sharma, aiming to stabilize the innings. But Johnson struck again, removing Rohit for 34 off 48 balls, and India found themselves at 91/3 after 18 overs. The target began to look more challenging for the defending champions.

Suresh Raina came in next, hoping to build a partnership with Rahane. However, in the 23rd over, Raina edged one to the wicketkeeper, departing for just 7 runs off 11 balls, and India was struggling at 108/4. With the team in a precarious position, captain MS Dhoni walked in to rescue the innings. Dhoni and Rahane focused on rotating the strike with singles and doubles, taking India to 177/4 by the end of the 36th over. With 152 runs still needed from 14 overs and six wickets in hand, the task was tough. In the 37th over, Mitchell Starc found Rahane’s edge, but there was no appeal from the Australians. However, Steve Smith heard a faint noise and convinced Clarke to take a review, which proved successful, sending Rahane back for 44 and leaving India at 179/5.

With the required run rate soaring, MS Dhoni knew he had to take on the bowlers. But in the 42nd over, while attempting a quick single, Steve Smith’s direct hit caught Ravindra Jadeja short of his crease, dismissing him for 16 runs. India was now at 208/6, still needing 121 runs from just 48 balls. The pressure was immense, but Dhoni responded in typical fashion by smashing two consecutive sixes off Shane Watson in the next over. He reached his half-century in 55 balls, giving a glimmer of hope to Indian fans. However, with the target looking increasingly impossible, disaster struck in the 45th over. Dhoni, trying to steal another quick single, was run out for 65 off 65 balls by an exceptional throw from Glenn Maxwell.

His wicket left India at 232/7, effectively ending any hopes of a miraculous chase. In the following over, James Faulkner delivered a double blow, dismissing Mohit Sharma and R Ashwin in consecutive deliveries. India was left reeling at 232/9, needing 97 runs from the remaining four overs with just one wicket in hand. It was only a matter of time before Australia sealed the win. Mitchell Starc was handed the ball for the 47th over, and on the fifth delivery, he bowled a perfect yorker to knock over Umesh Yadav’s stumps. Australia won by 95 runs, securing their place in the 2015 ODI World Cup final.

For the Indian team, the defeat was heartbreaking. After an unbeaten run in the tournament, their campaign ended in the semi-finals. Steve Smith was awarded the Man of the Match for his brilliant century, but the lasting image from the game was of MS Dhoni, visibly emotional, walking off the field with tears in his eyes. Back in India, disappointment turned to anger as fans singled out Virat Kohli for criticism. His early dismissal, playing a rash shot, led to harsh backlash from the public, making him the scapegoat for India’s exit from the World Cup.