Monty Panesar believes that team India will be under immense without Virat Kohli against Australia. The former England spinner feels that when Kohli bats he can occupy the crease for longer durations which makes life easier for other batsmen. However, with Virat Kohli all set to miss the final Test, Panesar reckons that Australia is the favourites in the Test series.
Kohli was the lone warrior with the bat for India as he stroked a very disciplined half-century. The Indian captain looked a class apart and left the ball extremely well in the first innings of the match. Kohli made 74 runs which was the highest score in the pink ball Test at Adelaide.
Monty Panesar holds that the absence of Virat Kohli will make a huge difference in Test series
Now with Kohli no longer part of the Test series, Panesar fears that team could potentially get all out under 150 runs.
“The difference in the first Test for India was Virat Kohli’s innings. And, once Virat goes, who will be the batsman that will occupy the crease for longer durations and score the runs. If you take his innings out of the equation, you are probably looking at 150 all out. That could happen to India in the remaining Tests, once Virat leaves”, Monty Panesar told CricTracker in an interview.
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The former spinner also talked about the team combination of team India for the second Test match at MCG. Panesar picked Shubman Gill ahead of KL Rahul as he feels it’s the right time for India to test the temperament of the talented batsman. Panesar is in the favour of playing game-changer Rishabh Pant at 6 as he can take away the match from Australia.
“Shubman Gill is a young talented batsman and I think he should be given a go because you are only going to know whether players like him have the right temperament for Test cricket only when they play in the team”.
“Rishabh Pant has a tendency to get under the skins of the Australian players and they tend to have a go at him. And, he is also capable with the bat so he can definitely go in the batting line-up at number 6”, Monty Panesar told CricTracker.
Meanwhile, team India is expected to make quite a few changes for the boxing day Test beginning from December 26. The likes of Shubman Gill and KL Rahul are both assumed to play in place of Prithvi Shaw and Virat Kohli. Ravindra Jadeja too is expected to play in the Test and give captain Ajinkya Rahane the luxury of 5 bowlers during the match.
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