New Delhi: India’s batting spearhead Virat Kohli admitted he has not been as disciplined as required to score consistently in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar series in Australia.
Kohli has fallen cheaply in four of the five innings in the first three Tests, scoring a century, his 20th Test ton, on the second innings of the first match at Perth.
With scores of 5, 100 not out, 7, 11, and 3, Kohli has managed a total of 126 runs at an average of 31.50 in the five-match contest. As the series is locked at 1-1, with matches in Melbourne and Sydney to follow, India would need Kohli to be at his absolute best to win the BGT.
The former India skipper spoke of his performance in the series, and his midset after being criticisee for a string of low scores.
“Well, expectations are always going to be there, I guess, playing for your country firstly and then having performed for that long a period, the expectations are always going to follow. I think what’s important is to make sure you understand your own plans and you understand the space you are in,” Kohli told the broadcasters ahead of the Boxing Day Test.
“If you start focusing on the expectations, then you drift away from what you need to do. The idea is just to follow the game plan that I have. To stay very disciplined in my approach, just understand the situation of the game. That’s something that’s brought me success over so many years and really focus on what the team needs from me out there.
“If there’s, you know, I walk in early, then it’s a different situation. If there’s a partnership then capitalise and stretch that good period for the team. So I think it’s just looking at situations and making sure you have your own game plan set.”
‘Pitches livelier’
Kohli was part of the Indian squad that won the last two Test series in Australia. India began the current series with a win in the first game at Perth then went down in the day-night match at Adelaide before forcing a draw in the rain-affected third clash in Brisbane.
Kohli seemed content at the performance of the team, even though he would have wanted to contribute more to the cause.
Virat Kohli and Sam Konstas exchanged a heated moment on the MCG. #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/QL13nZ9IGI
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) December 26, 2024
“I agree last 2 or 3 innings hasn’t gone the way I wanted to. I haven’t been disciplined enough to stick in there and really grind it out and that’s what the challenge that Test cricket brings,” the right arm batter said.
“Obviously these pitches are, are much more livelier than the last time that we played here, so there’s a different approach that’s required, but that’s something that I’ve taken a lot of pride in to go out there and encounter different conditions and step up when the team wants me to or needs me to.
“So yeah, the idea is to get stuck in, as I said. Go in there, get your eyes set in, play enough number of balls that you start playing your game afterwards but respect the conditions foremost.”
With scores of 5, 100 not out, 7, 11, and 3, Virat Kohli has managed a total of 126 runs at an average of 31.50 in the Border-Gavaskar series so far Cricket Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
