Harbhajan Singh explains that under fire Virat Kohli is making big changes to the game ahead of the Gabba Test

Back in the firing line following his poor performance in India’s Pink Ball Test defeat to Australia, Virat Kohli dug deeper into his quest for success ahead of the third test. The veteran batter continues to train in Adelaide with other members of the squad after the second Test ended prematurely within three days. Kohli, who was unable to help the team with his bat in Adelaide, has been a regular in the nets since then. In fact, former Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh explained the big transformation that Kohli brought to his practice to compensate for his poor form in Australia.

Harbhajan, speaking to Star Sports, revealed that Kohli was carefully checking his back-foot defense in the nets in preparation for the excess bounce that the Gabba delivery is likely to generate.

“Yes, as little as I saw him hit the ball in the net today. I played a lot of cricket with him. He is a front foot player. Knowing the bounce on Indian soil, you have to be on the front foot. people who played here, such as Ricky Ponting, Steve WaughLanger, Hayden. They were good players on the back foot because of the bounce. That’s the type of bounce you get in Australia, you have to be a good bounce player. You need to play well on your back foot. This is what he practiced,” Harbhajan said.

It’s time to look forward.

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Kohli hit the nets even as the Indian team lost the pink ball Test in Adelaide. Harbhajan feels Virat’s return to the Gabba is not far off given the efforts he is putting in in practice.

“I noticed today in particular. He served a lot with his back foot. He would go forward to get a fuller ball, but those balls that were a little short, he would either walk away or try to play them. Ball off the back foot, he knows the Gabba will be a different wicket where he will have to face a lot of bounce and pace and that back foot play needs to be incorporated into his game, I’m sure it’s good to see him working on his game , knowing Virat. Koli, we have seen him come back after every failure,” he added.