The former Indian top-order batter, Sanjay Manjrekar, has revealed the possible plans for the home Australia side against the former Indian captain, Virat Kohli, during the upcoming five-match Test series of the Border Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25. The latter is going to be a huge weapon for the Blue Brigade in the red-ball series.
The ongoing year 2024 hasn’t been healthy for Virat Kohli in the longest format, as he has smashed only 250 runs in 12 innings at an average of 22.73 with a strike rate of nearly 70 with the help of one half-century at the best score of 70.
In the recent three-match home series against New Zealand, where the Indian team had a very tough time with a 0-3 clean sweep for the very first time since 2000. It’s also the first series defeat for the home side in the five-day format of the game since 2012/13. None of the batters were in good touch, having been blown away against the spinners of the opponent side.
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Virat Kohli could manage only 93 runs in six innings at an average of 15.50 with the help of only one half-century, which came during the second innings of the opening game at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. The veteran could record only three centuries in the last five years in the red-ball format of the game.
The 36-year-old has collected 2042 runs in 44 innings in Test cricket at an average of 47.49 and a strike rate of over 52.41 with the help of five half-centuries and eight centuries at the best score of 186 runs. Out of these, 1352 runs at an average of over 54 came down. He was present in one single red-ball clash in Adelaide during the last 2020/21 trip for the BGT.
Sanjay Manjrekar discloses weakness of Virat Kohli before BGT 2024-25
The renowned commentator of the game, Sanjay Manjrekar, has reckoned the possible ways the Australian pacers targeting the batter, who is a different person altogether in those conditions of the game.
“Virat Kohli knows, exactly, what’s going to be planned. They’ll start with that line outside the off-stump and gauge what his mood is. These days he looks to leave balls outside the off-stump, and if they have anything that is pitched right up, he will look to drive.” Sanjay addressed this during the interaction on Star Sports.
Over the years, Kohli has found it comfortable to score runs against the quicks on those pace and bouncy conditions. The Delhi-born was the second leading run-getter of the Border Gavaskar Trophy 2014-15 with 692 runs in eight innings at an average of 86.50 and a strike rate of over 60, shouldering on four centuries and one half-century.
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In the 2018/19 series, he also cracked 282 runs in seven innings at an average of 40.28 and a strike rate of over 40, shouldering on one century and one half-century, besides leading the team to their maiden red-ball series victory down under.
“Nowadays, they are also trying to cramp him (Virat Kohli) for room and attack his body because he loves to get forward so much. So that is something New Zealand tried, which is very smart. And then, if he is so focused outside off, that typical one of landing a ball on the middle stump, which Josh Hazlewood would try.” Manjrekar highlighted.
The opening contest for the five-match Test series will begin on November 22 at the Optus Stadium in Perth. Kohli will have a huge role in the batting department in the absence of Rohit Sharma.