Kohli averages just 22.72 in his six Test matches this year, way below than his average of 54.08 in Tests in Australia and his overall career average of 47.83. He comes into his fifth Australia tour after making just 91 runs in India’s 3-0 series defeat to New Zealand at home earlier this month.
Kohli had hit 116 - first Test hundred at Adelaide in January 2012, followed by making 115 and 141 at the same venue in 2014, where he captained India for the first time in Tests. The former skipper also made 123, the first Test hundred by an Indian batter in the new Perth Stadium in 2018, where he eventually led India to 2-1 series victory, their first-ever Test series win in Australia.
"Because he hasn't got runs against New Zealand, he'll be very, very hungry. Even in that Adelaide Test match, where in the second innings we got all out for 36, in the first innings, Kohli got 70 plus, if I recall correctly, before being run out. He's consistently performed at Adelaide, so it's a familiar ground for him.
“And before Adelaide, it's Perth, where he played one of the finest Test centuries in 2018-19. A terrific hundred. Having performed on these grounds, he'll feel that extra bit of confidence. Of course, you need a bit of luck at the start, but if he gets off to a good start, he will get big runs," said Gavaskar to Star Sports.
Sanjay Manjrekar, the former India batter, also provided his perspective on how Australian bowlers comprising captain Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Nathan Lyon might challenge Kohli, especially testing him in outside the off-stump channel, when the series begins in Perth on November 22.
"I think Virat knows exactly what's going to be planned. They'll start with that line outside the off stump and gauge what his mindset is. These days, he often leaves balls outside off and looks to drive anything pitched up. Australia might also try to cramp him for room and attack his body since he likes to get forward.
“This was a tactic New Zealand used effectively. If he's focused on balls outside off stump, bowlers like Josh Hazlewood might target that typical Vernon Philander line on middle stump. Australia will test various strategies, and Virat Kohli is fully aware of that," he said.
--IANS
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