Sunil Gavaskar has expressed optimism that Virat Kohli will overcome his recent struggles in the red-ball format during the highly anticipated Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25. Kohli, who has historically excelled on Australian soil, will be a key figure for India as they face the reigning world Test champions in a gruelling five-match series starting Friday, November 22.
Kohli’s record in Australia speaks volumes about his calibre. In 25 Test innings Down Under, he has scored an impressive 1352 runs at an average of 54.08, including six centuries and four fifties. Gavaskar believes these past successes, particularly in Perth and Adelaide, will fuel Kohli’s confidence.
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“Because he [Kohli] hasn’t scored against New Zealand, he’ll be very hungry. At Adelaide, even in the Test where we were bowled out for 36, he scored a solid 74 in the first innings before being run out. It’s a ground he’s consistently performed on. And before Adelaide, there’s Perth, where he played one of his finest Test centuries during the 2018-19 series. Having succeeded on these grounds before, he’ll feel that extra confidence. Of course, he’ll need some luck early on, but if he gets a good start, he could score big,” Sunil Gavaskar said on Star Sports.
Adding to this, Sanjay Manjrekar highlighted Kohli’s preparedness for Australia’s tactical approach. He explained how the Aussies, led by Pat Cummins, will likely start by targeting the corridor outside off-stump, testing Kohli’s patience and technique.
“Virat knows what’s coming. They’ll test him outside the off-stump to assess his mindset. Lately, he’s been leaving balls in that zone but looking to drive anything pitched up. Australia might also aim to cramp him for room by targeting his body, as New Zealand did effectively. Bowlers like Josh Hazlewood could bowl that tight line on middle stump to exploit any lapse in focus,” Sanjay Manjrekar observed.
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With Kohli aware of these strategies, the series promises an intriguing battle between India’s batting maestro and Australia’s world-class bowling attack, setting the stage for a thrilling contest.
