New Delhi: Since India and particularly their star batter Virat Kohli is under pressure, Australia should ensure that they try to seize the initiative from the very beginning of the five-match Test series beginning on November 22.
India have travelled to Australia for the high-voltage Border Gavaskar series with both teams eyeing victory to qualify for the World Test Championship.
Rohit Sharma’s boys appear in the series after suffering a 0-3 whitewash at home to New Zealand where Kohli struggled for runs.
The No.4 batter has been criticised for scoring only a half century in his last 10 Test innings, all on home soil, and his performance in Australia would be under scrutiny.
Asked if India would be under pressure to justify their worth, the pace legend told CODE Sports: “Without a doubt, especially after coming off a 3-0 loss against New Zealand, you’ve got plenty of ammunition to back yourself up. So put the pressure on them and see if they’re up for it.”
‘Kohli is emotional’
Kohli has been India’s batting star for more than a decade but has suffered a blip in form in recent times, averaging only 22.72 in the six matches he’s played this year.
India have already lost Shubman Gill to injury from the first Test and with skipper Rohit’s availability uncertain due to the birth of his second child, Kohli is under pressure to lead the batting line up.
But Kohli has an impressive record in the bouncy pitches in Australia, averaging 54.08 in four tours Down Under.
“If they go hard at him, if he gets in the fight with emotions, there’s a bit of chat out there, who knows he might sort of lift,” Mcgrath said, who claimed 563 Test wickets in 124 games in a 15-year career.
“But I think he’s probably under pressure a little bit, and if he has a couple of low scores to start with, he could really feel it.
“I think he’s quite an emotional player. When he’s up, he’s up, and when he’s down, he sort of struggles a little bit,” the 54-year-old said.
Virat Kohli has been India’s batting star for more than a decade but has suffered a blip in form in recent times, averaging only 22.72 in the six matches he’s played this year. Cricket Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
