Former Indian head coach Ravi Shastri hailed Virat Kohli for fine hundred in the second innings of the opening Border-Gavaskar Test against Australia at the Optus Stadium, Perth. Kohli was dismissed for only five runs in the first innings by Josh Hazlewood as the fast bowler got extra bounce.
However, the talisman scored an unbeaten knock of 100 runs in the second essay to bring his 31st Test century. This was Kohli’s seventh century in the Australian conditions as he batted at the top of his game.
Shastri was impressed with the way Kohli took his time in the second innings and forced the opposition to play at his pace.
Ravi Shastri said on ICC Review, “He came out not like a cat on a hot tin roof. That impressed me the most. Otherwise, a batsman gets out, even before the guy walks 10 yards from the stumps, Virat is halfway down into the ground. Take your time. You are one of the best the world has seen. Let the opposition play at your pace. And that’s exactly what he did in both the innings.”
“In the first innings, he got a good one that bounced. But what I liked immediately was the way he adapted. He went for the back in the crease to counter the bounce, six inches so that it gave him a little more time and basically his composure and the way he moved in the crease.”
The former Indian all-rounder said it is crucial for Kohli to remember what he did right in Perth and follow the same plan in Adelaide, where he has scored tons of runs.
“Do the same things. It’s very important when you waited that long. You got to visualize exactly what you did. You might not play the same way, the opposition might not bowl to you the same way as they did in that first half an hour. But the basic things that you did going out to the crease, taking your guard and what you were visualising and thinking, is very important to make a note of and do the same thing again.”
The second Test match between Australia and India, which will be a pink-ball game, will be played at Adelaide Oval from December 6 onwards.
