The preparations for the much-awaited Border Gavaskar Trophy are in full swing, as Team India and Australia have begun their training sessions. The series will kick off on February 9 at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium in Nagpur. Team India batter Virat Kohli will be one of the major threats to Australia in the series. Former India cricketer Aakash Chopra has opined that the veteran batter becomes a beast against Australia.
In 20 Test matches, Virat Kohli has scored 1682 against Australia, at an average of 48.05. The run tally includes seven centuries and five half-centuries. Speaking on On the Aakashvani show on JioCinema, Aakash Chopra highlighted Kohli’s brilliant record against Australia. He said,
“This is the Border-Gavaskar Trophy and if we have to do well in this, it is almost imperative for Virat Kohli to score runs. There is one thing about Virat – he becomes a different beast when he plays against Australia.”
“He activates the beast mode slightly. His best performances have generally come against this team. So you will have the expectations once again,” he added.
Expecting at least two centuries from Virat Kohli: Aakash Chopra
Former cricketer Aakash Chopra further warned Virat Kohli to be mindful of playing against full delivery on the backfoot. He pointed out Kohli’s dismissal against Taijul Islam in the Test series against Bangladesh. The former cricketer further expressed that he expects the veteran batter to score at least a couple of centuries in the series. Aakash Chopra said,
“The only thing, which I felt in the last series as well, was where he played a full delivery from Taijul Islam on the back foot and it went and hit the stumps, and Mitchell Santner also dismissed him similarly in the ODIs. That’s one thing where he has gotten out early a few times.”
“So he will have to keep that slightly in his mind, playing the full delivery on the back foot against a bowler who takes the ball slightly away from him. Besides that, it is a four-Test series, so I am expecting at least two centuries. That’s not an unfair ask. He is Virat Kohli, a run-machine Kohli. Hopefully, he will score runs,” he added.
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