Former India batting coach Sanjay Bangar believes that Virat Kohli needs to “surrender to the game” during the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy, especially in the crucial fourth Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). According to Bangar, Kohli should focus on spending time at the crease, allowing the bowlers to come to him, rather than aggressively chasing after runs. Bangar feels that this approach could be the key to Kohli making a significant impact in the upcoming match.
Since his match-winning century in Perth, Kohli has struggled with three consecutive low scores in the series: 7 (8), 11 (21), and 3 (16). On each occasion, he was caught behind the wicket after edging balls outside off-stump. His inability to leave deliveries on the fourth-stump line and the lack of fluency in his signature cover drives have given Australian bowlers a clear plan to attack him.
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Sanjay Bangar highlighted the importance of mental control for a top batter like Kohli. Speaking on Star Sports, he explained, “Sometimes you need to keep your status as a batter in control a little. When you surrender slightly to the game, spend a little time, ease out in the middle for some time, wait for the bowler to come to you, and do not go yourself towards the bowler, that’s the sign of a big player.”
With the series tied at 1-1, India heads to the MCG with confidence after managing a rain-impacted draw at the Gabba. Kohli, in particular, can draw confidence from his impressive record at the MCG, where he has scored 316 runs in three Tests, including a brilliant 169 (272) in 2014, with an average of 52.67.
Sanjay Bangar added, “Play as many balls as possible close to your front pad and then the runs will flow. It’s not that he hasn’t scored runs; he scored a century three innings ago. Virat’s role in this high-stakes encounter could be the difference-maker. He has done it before at the MCG, and there is no reason why he can’t do it again.”
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Kohli also has positive memories of the MCG from white-ball cricket, where he played a memorable knock of 82* (53) against Pakistan in the 2022 T20 World Cup. His innings helped India chase down a challenging target of 160, even after being reduced to 31/4.
