Former Indian head coach Ravi Shastri showered praise on Virat Kohli after he scored a fine hundred in the opening Test against Australia at Perth. Kohli walked into bat when India was going comfortably at 275-2 after Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul added a fine alliance of 201 runs for the opening stand.
King Kohli returned to form as he scored an unbeaten knock of 100 runs to bring his 30th Test century. The right-hander was under the pump after he could only manage 93 runs against New Zealand in three Test matches.
The veteran was dismissed for only five runs in the first innings however he was able to turn the tables. This was Kohli’s seventh century in the Australian conditions as he batted at the top of his game.
Shastri said on Fox Sports, “I doubt an overseas player in the last 15 years has come to Australia and played in this fashion. Seven hundreds in Australia. The big stage, the big ground. One of the bounciest pitches in the world. He plays two Test matches and he gets two hundreds. You cannot get a better stage and to set up the series.”
Shastri said Kohli returning to form is a big positive for India as he has been able to hit the ground running in Australia.
“They call him the King. To get a hundred in the very first Test match of the series. It is a terrific signal for India. It is ominous from Australia’s point of view. But look at the joy. It’s a popular hundred and I think fans the world over wanted to see this bloke come to Australia and perform again,” the 62-year-old added.
The former Indian all-rounder said Kohli looked fluent in the first 10 minutes of his innings as his feet moved in the right direction and he didn’t look tentative as he did in the first innings.
“This is a special moment. He will have a tear in his eye. He has worked so hard for it. But sometimes with great players the moment they come in… From the outset in the first 10 minutes, you saw his feet moving. You knew the signs were there that the big man is back.”
India needs four wickets to win the opening Test at Perth.
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