India captain Jasprit Bumrah issued a warning to Australia, stating that Virat Kohli is warming up for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy and that the star batsman appeared in good shape throughout the practice.
Virat Kohli is on his fifth tour of Australia, and he has a very good record there. He has 1,352 runs in 13 matches, averaging 54.08, with six hundreds and four fifties in 25 innings.
In the last five years, Kohli has averaged 19.33 in 2020, 28.21 in 2021, 26.50 in 2022, 55.91 last year, and 22.72 this year.
He has only scored two centuries in the last five years, both of which occurred in 2023. He is coming off a dismal New Zealand Test series in which he scored only 93 runs in six innings, with a best of 70.
Kohli was confident in similarly bouncy and fast-paced conditions in South Africa earlier this year.
The batting superstar has been in the spotlight since he arrived in Perth. A handful of Australian newspapers featured Kohli on the front page of a special edition, highlighting his popularity and exploits. Former Australian cricketers have heaped accolades on Kohli while warning against prodding the former captain.
The signs are ominous: Jasprit Bumrah backs Virat Kohli to have a huge impact on the Border Gavaskar Trophy
Jasprit Bumrah downplayed concerns about Virat Kohli’s recent form, focusing on his effect in Australia.
Bumrah addressed the press conference on the eve of the first Test with confidence as the team’s stand-in captain. The fast bowler, who will captain India for the second time in his career, recalls playing under Virat Kohli on his maiden tour of Australia.
“I don’t have to say anything about Virat Kohli, the batter. He is one of the greats of the game. I don’t need to give him any special input. He is the utmost professional. He is one of the leaders. I made my debut under him. He knows what he is doing. Okay, one or two series, here and there, can up and down.
But, the confidence he has at this moment, I have no doubts about how he has prepared. He is looking to contribute. The signs are ominous, I don’t want to jinx it by saying anything else, but he is looking in very good shape,” Bumrah told reporters in press conference.
India will need Kohli to step up and deliver in the Perth Test as they will be without captain Rohit Sharma and No. 3 star Shubman Gill.
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