Australian bowler Aaron Hardie, 19, is yet to make his first-class debut, but he has already gained the title of a `giant killer` by snaring the wicket of Indian skipper Virat Kohli on Thursday.
The uncapped Willetton teenager caught and bowled Kohli on day two of India's only warm-up match against Cricket Australia XI at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) ahead of the four-match Test series between the two sides, beginning December 1 at the Adelaide Oval.
After the opening day of the warm-up match was washed out by relentless rain, Hardie, who was born in Bournemouth, United Kingdom, but began playing cricket as a child in Perth, hogged the limelight on Thursday when he dismissed the Indian skipper for 64 as the tourists prepared for next week’s opening Test by scoring 358 all out against Cricket Australia XI. The Australian teenage ended the innings during the warm-up match with the figures of four for 50 off 13 overs.
Kohli was Hardie's latest high-profile victim. The Australian already has some big names as his victims. He had bowled out England captain Joe Root and James Vince in the same over while playing for Western Australia in a similar warm-up match in 2017.
Describing Kohli's wicket as a `bit surreal`, Hardie was quoted by cricket.com.au saying, "It was a pretty amazing feeling. It all happened very quickly. Because he was smacking me around the park a little bit and then next minute he hit one back to me."
Hardie, who has led Western Australia at under-17 and under-19 level, was picked in the state’s Sheffield Shield squad against Queensland in October 2018 but he failed to make it to the Playing XI.
The Australian teen had also headed to New Zealand earlier this year replacing injured fast bowler Jason Ralston in Australia's under-19 World Cup squad. However, he failed to participate in the final after suffering an injury.
(Also Read: Five Indian batsmen notch fifties in Sydney warm-up match)
