“He Should Watch Videos of His Big Knocks in Australia”: Gavaskar’s Advice to Virat Kohli
Virat Kohli’s Off-Stump Struggles Continue in Australia
Virat Kohli‘s off-stump weakness has been exposed again in the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Australian bowlers have troubled him by targeting the area outside off-stump. Kohli’s recent out in the third Test against Australia at Brisbane highlighted this issue. Kohli edged a fifth-stump delivery to wicketkeeper Alex Carey, facing Josh Hazlewood. This added to his series woes.
Kohli’s dismissals have drawn comparisons to Sachin Tendulkar’s 2004 Sydney masterclass. There, the Indian legend tackled a similar issue with great discipline. Former cricketers and experts urge Kohli to learn from Tendulkar. They want him to rediscover his form in Australia.
Sachin Tendulkar’s Sydney Blueprint: A Lesson for Kohli
In the fourth Test of the 2004 series against Australia, Tendulkar scored an unbeaten 241 off 436 balls. It was a famous innings. It is one of the most disciplined innings in Test cricket history. Tendulkar’s strategy was simple but effective. He refused to play any delivery outside the off-stump. Instead, he focused on shots on the leg side.
In a chat with Mark Nicholas on Star Sports, Sunil Gavaskar praised Tendulkar’s innings in Sydney. He is a former captain of India. He urged Kohli to learn from it. Gavaskar said:
“Sachin was facing similar issues, and he made up his mind to forget the off-side in a Test against Australia in Sydney. He achieved success and scored a double hundred. I feel Virat should watch the videos of his good knocks in Australia and take inspiration from them. He is a good payer as you can’t score 9000 runs in Test cricket like that,” he said on Star Sports.
Gavaskar’s Suggestion for Kohli’s Comeback
Gavaskar also discussed Kohli’s dismissals in the series. He gave some feedback. The former India legend said Kohli has time to turn things around. He has one innings left in the Brisbane Test and two matches in the series.
“There is another innings to go in this Test match, and then you have two more Test matches coming up. Virat has enough time to score runs. His three dismissals happened on very good deliveries. However, the fourth one in Brisbane was a no-show. It was a poor delivery, and he still failed to leave it. He could have done it easily.
Gavaskar reminded viewers of Kohli’s 9000+ Test runs. His batting pedigree is unquestionable. But, he must adjust mentally to overcome his slump.
Kohli’s Struggles in Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25
Kohli has had a mixed run in the series so far, registering scores of 5, 100, 7, 11, and 3* in five innings. His unbeaten century in the second Test showed his brilliance. But, he struggles with deliveries outside the off-stump. This has raised concerns.
As the Border-Gavaskar Trophy heats up, Kohli must find ways to counter the Aussie bowlers. With advice from legends like Gavaskar and Tendulkar’s Sydney innings, the Indian star can bounce back. He has the tools to do it. As Gavaskar rightly put it, “You can’t score 9000 Test runs without being a good player.”