Former New Zealand coach Mike Hesson has issued some words of caution to Australia ahead of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Hesson believes that Virat Kohli may inflict some severe damage to Australia’s World Test Championship campaign in the upcoming series.
Hesson emphasized how the former Indian skipper was more focused on winning games rather than acquiring individual success.
As per Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s (RCB) official website, he said, while talking to Jio Cinema, “I think Virat Kohli is at that stage in his career where he just wants to try and win games for India. And I think that’s a dangerous stage for other sides, because if he’s doing that rather than focusing on numbers, the big scores will come naturally.”
Virat Kohli will be a crucial asset to India’s arsenal in the 2024/25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy. He is no stranger to putting up match-winning knocks in Australia. Emphasizing Kohli’s ability to deliver on Australian soil, Mike Hesson highlighted how the Indian batter can step up in a big way.
“The ability to hold a tempo in Australia is so important—being able to counterattack and knowing the right moments to do so. As mentioned, from 30 to 60 overs is a key phase. If Kohli is batting at that point, he won’t let the game drift. It’s about finding gaps, hitting gaps, getting ones and twos, and then, if they try and attack him, then he can counterattack,” Hesson said.
Mike Hesson also shed some light on Virat Kohli’s familiarity with the Australian conditions.
Speaking about how Kohli would be providing the youngsters with some crucial insight, the former New Zealand coach said, “He has the game and knows the conditions very well. The discussions he’ll have with younger players will also be crucial in helping them apply their game to challenge the Australians in the best way possible.”
Virat Kohli has played 13 Tests in Australia in his career. In these matches, he has scored 1352 runs at an average of 54.08. Kohli’s 169-run knock in 2014, remains one of his finest performances on the Australian turf.
As for his current form, Virat Kohli did not have an ideal return to Test cricket under Gautam Gambhir. He put up knocks of six and 17 runs in the first Test against Bangladesh. In the Kanpur Test, Kohli racked up knocks of 47 and an unbeaten 29.
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