Indian great Ravi Shastri says Virat Kohli’s stunning record in Australia could be key to proving his critics wrong when the Border-Gavaskar series begins next week as Ricky Ponting conceded his comments about the Indian maestro’s poor recent Test form could “add something” to the showdown.
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Kohli, 36, has scored just two Test centuries in his last 60 Test innings, which moved Ponting to declare that something “wasn’t right” with the superstar batter who has amassed nearly 10,000 Test runs across 118 matches.
While Ponting clarified that you should “never write off a champion” he said his comments, which earnt a rebuke from Indian coach Gautam Gambhir, could stoke Kohli’s fire.
“I was a little bit surprised with the response I got from Gambhir,” Ponting told The ICC Review podcast.
“I thought I was pretty measured in what I had to say: Never write off a champion and expect players like him to bounce back and play well in Australia.
“So, look, I’ve seen it happen before. I was a little bit surprised with what Gautam had to say, and it seemed like it sort of created a few different reactions from a few people over in India as well. So at the end of the day, maybe what I had to say might just add a little bit more to the series.”
Kohli’s record in Australia suggests he finds his best when on the road, having scored 1352 runs in 13 Tests at an average of 54.08.
He needs just 458 more runs to surpass Sachin Tendulkar as the all-time leading run-scorer for Indians in Australia.
Shastri said that achievement could not be underplayed despite Kohli’s recent poor returns at home in series against first Bangladesh and then New Zealand, the latter that India lost.
“Well, the king is back in his territory,” Shastri said, also on The ICC Review.
“That’s all I will tell (the doubters).
“When you’ve earned that title after your exploits in Australia, it will be on your (opponent’s) mind when you go out to bat.”
India has won the past two series against Australia, in Australia, on the back of brilliant batting and Shastri said the key to Kohli’s success would be staying “calm” and not chasing runs to keep his critics at bay in what looms as a massive opening clash in Perth.
“Your juices are flowing, you’re charged up. It’s again a case with Virat. You want to see calmness,” he said.
“At times you are overeager to get out there and throw the first punch.
“But I think that calmness in the first half an hour where he gets out to bat, or in the first three innings of the series, will be extremely important.
“If he can be calm and play the game at his own pace rather than being in a hurry, I think he’ll be fine.”
With captain Rohit Sharma still at home for personal reasons, Kohli’s experience will be key for the tourists who trained again at the WACA on Friday ahead of the first Test starting next Thursday.
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