Kohli's 72 fires India to 190-4 in second T20

BANGALORE: Skipper Virat Kohli hit an attacking 72 not out to guide India to 190 for four in their bid to level the series in the second and final Twenty20 international on Wednesday.

Put into bat, the hosts rode on a century stand between Kohli and Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who made 40 off 23 balls, to put up a challenging total at Bangalore's M.Chinnaswamy Stadium.

Kohli smashed 2 fours and 6 sixes in his 38-ball blitz to take the attack to the opposition bowlers.

Opening batsman K.L. Rahul gave the hosts a brisk start with his 47 off 26 deliveries but Australia hit back with a couple of wickets to check the opposition surge.

Fast bowler Nathan Coulter-Nile got Rahul, who scored a fifty in his team's opening loss, with a change of pace as the batsman was caught out at deep third man.

Jason Behrendorff got Shikhar Dhawan for 14 and D'Arcy Short claimed Rishabh Pant for one with a brilliant catch from Jhye Richardson.

Kohli then clobbered the ball to all parts of the ground as he hit Coulter-Nile for three straight sixes in the 16th over to entertain a raucous home crowd.

Dhoni soon joined the party as the veteran wicketkeeper-batsman hit 3 fours and 3 sixes before falling to Pat Cummins.

India managed to get 91 runs from the last six overs with Dinesh Karthik also contributing with eight off three balls.