Former all-rounder Shane Watson has advised the Australian team to avoid facing Virat Kohli in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. He feels that the strength the famous Indian batsman derives from provocation brings out the best in him. In-form Kohli has enjoyed great success in Australia in the past and will be looking to regain form in the five-match Test series starting at the Optus Stadium here on Friday.
Provoking the mainstay of Indian batsmen often backfires on the Australians, something Watson himself has experienced.
“One thing I know about Virat… is that the intensity he brought to every ball in the game was superhuman because he had a fire burning bright deep inside him,” Watson said in the paper. spoke. Willow Talk Podcast.
“But there have been some moments recently in this career where the fire started to go out, because it’s very difficult for him to maintain that intensity in every moment that he’s involved in the game. be.”
“And that’s where Australia has to leave him alone and hope he doesn’t bring nine out of 10 intensity to every ball.” Kohli has been in Australia since 2011. He played 13 Tests and scored 1,352 runs, including six centuries and four fifties, at an average of 54.08 and a top score of 169.
This will be Kohli’s fifth tour Down Under in the longest format, but his best performance came in the 2014-15 series, when he scored a total of 692 runs in four Tests at an average of 86.50, including four centuries. Sometimes it took half a minute.
These remarkable numbers aren’t lost on Watson either.
“We saw when he had success in Australia that he was excellent in everything in midfield. He rose to every ball, every moment.”
“You can see the ferocious strength he brings, and once he gets it, it shuts out everything else. That’s when he’s at his best.”
“If there’s something going on around you and that intensity isn’t there, then you’re going to see a version of Virat that’s not as good. So from an Australian perspective, if we’re a version of him I hope we get to see it,” Watson said.
Kohli’s performance in the red-ball format this year has been below average, scoring just 70 runs in six Tests at an average of 22.72.
“Smith actually wasn’t hitting his best as an opener.”
When the discussion turned to Australia’s batting, Watson supported Steve Smith, who did his best against the formidable Indian bowling attack.
Smith, who struggled as an opening pitcher following the retirement of David Warner, will return to his usual No. 4 slot.
“Steve wanted the opening game. He was very eager for a new challenge. But one of the opportunities he was given was that he wasn’t really hitting his best at the time.” Watson pointed out.
“So he had a chance to go first, and if Steve Smith was at his best, he would have made the most of it, because whether he was first or No. But you’ve seen him do it a few times because he loves to score. “His game and technique were a bit off.” Australia’s selection team had an uncapped starting pitcher alongside Usman Khawaja for the major series against strong rivals India. Nominated 25-year-old Nathan McSweeney.
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