Final bow Down Under: Rohit and Kohli's Sydney serenade

Virat Kohli had been acknowledged with thousands of roars in Australia before Saturay night. Virat Kohli had scored 3616 runs across formats in Australia before Saturday night. But perhaps never had there been a roar louder than the one that greeted the single he scored at the SCG on Saturday night.

It was his first run for the record in nearly 10 days after he'd landed in the country. And that too on the last night of his tour (he flew out on Sunday morning). That didn't seem to matter one bit for the 40+ thousand Indian fans in Sydney for the third ODI though.

It was a push towards the on-side, slightly wide of mid-on. Kohli himself was gracious enough to understand the significance of the moment and the loud reception from the crowd. So much so that even he couldn't help flashing a sheepish smile as he punched the air in relief and some mock delight. The sense of irony wasn't lost on him either.

At the other end, Rohit Sharma had already received his fair share of uproarious reactions from the Indian faithful who had packed the SCG by the time he was joined in the middle by his long-time sparring partner. That in a way became the theme for the rest of evening as the Sydney crowd took turns to celebrate two of the greatest to have ever played ODI cricket. And two of the greatest batters to have ever visited these shores.

Kohli and Rohit had come into their first series as one-format players with all the talk centring around if they still had it in them to be stars at this level. Along with if they had it in them to stretch their careers for another two years to get to play in another 50-over World Cup. But this wasn't that kind of night. This wasn't about ramifications. This wasn't about the future. This was all about Kohli and Rohit being serenaded for one last time on Australian soil. This was a celebration, which turned into a grand farewell, as the duo produced one final act of brilliance together against their old enemy.

Yes, Australia had already won the ODI series. Yes, this was a dead rubber. And yes, there was an inevitability to the night ending with Rohit and Kohli on top, as soon as Mitchell Marsh won the toss and unexpectedly decided to bat first. This wasn't however the night to delve too deep into those technicalities or analysis.

This was all about two of the greatest performers in the history of ODI cricket playing their greatest hits. Like two wizened bandmates on their farewell tour putting on a showcase for one final time in a country that's been the setting for some of their foremost highlights.

It didn't take too long for them to get into sync as soon as the soundcheck was done, which in this case was Kohli getting off the mark. And as if by rote, the crowd were singing and cheering along with every lyric, every note, and in this case, every trademark shot.

Rohit had not looked the most convincing in his first two knocks on tour, despite top-scoring in Adelaide. Kohli had literally not scored a run when he walked out to bat here. But somehow as their partnership began to grow, the Indian superfans of the two Indian superstars, started to get that all too familiar feeling of seeing Rohit and Kohli set the stage alight. Like they were pre-empting the setlist for the concert.

As if every time Rohit went down on one knee against the spinners, they knew that he was going to peel off a slog-sweep for six. Or every time Kohli got into position with his head on top of the ball, he was going to pull off a gorgeous straight drive, like he did very early in his innings off a Mitchell Starc delivery. The two batting greats for good measure complemented the enthusiasm and energy around the SCG, both note for note and shot for shot. If there were well-controlled pull shots off the front foot and classy clips through mid-wicket from Kohli; Rohit was playing his own hits at his end. From clearing his front leg and air-lifting Josh Hazlewood over wide mid-on for four to inside-out hits with nonchalant flourish through the off-side.

Most importantly, as they held court in the middle of the SCG, the two former captains were having the best time ever in each other's company. They were clapping each other on. They were pumping each other up. They were rejoicing in each other's success. Just like in the old times. Just like when they put their band together against Australia of all teams in the summer of 2013. A dozen years later, they were signing off in style.

Kohli's relationship with Australia might have been more intense and more publicised, but Rohit and Australia go a longer way back. The opener from Mumbai had after all played his first international match on Australian soil in February 2008, four years before his fellow Indian captain, had even set foot here on an Indian tour. He'd played against Australian teams comprising of the Gilchrists, the Pontings, the Symonds and the Lees of the world. Cooper Connolly, who Rohit faced quite a bit of in his final knock in Australia, was all of four-years-old when the former Indian captain first took strike in an ODI Down Under.

But despite Rohit being the one to get a three-figure score, for the ninth time against Australia, it was Kohli not surprisingly who tipped the scales slightly when it came to totally stealing the show. It started in the field as he took two catches, one a sharp grab at square-leg followed by a straightforward catch running in from long-off. There was also the moment when probably for the first time ever, a fielding captain was jeered briefly for moving a fielder, Kohli of course, away from the boundary and into the circle.

Nine months ago, he'd walked off the SCG with his head down and with his shoulders bent. We didn't know then that this was the last time we'd see Virat Kohli the Test batter exit the arena. Sunday was set to be his final appearance in Indian colours in a country that he has shared such a deep relationship with. And a country that has seen him grow up with each visit.

This time, he did get to walk off with his head held high and while flashing the biggest and most wholesome smile. This felt more like a satisfactory ending to one of the most abiding sporting rivalries, Kohli versus Australia in Australia, in cricket history.

In many ways, you couldn't have scripted a better ending to the series itself. Rohit and Kohli had dominated the promotions and the lead-up to the tour. Almost to an extent where the series itself seemed incidental to the bigger narrative around this being their farewell visit to Australia. And the way it played out on Sunday night, their last dance had again rendered the series win for Australia itself as being nothing more than incidental.

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