Australia batting great Matthew Hayden has offered Virat Kohli who has been struggling with inconsistent series so far with scores of 5, 100*, 7, 11, and 3 in his last five innings, has amassed 126 runs at an average of 31.50.
“There could have been magnificent wins, there could have been losses, there could have been spinning conditions, I mean, you can list off a hundred different areas where Virat Kohli, over his magnificent career, would have batted.
“But in Melbourne, he’s going to have a good batting track. What he does need to do is find a way to continue staying at the crease. Flashing outside the off-stump is something that he’s going to have to resist,” told Hayden.
“And I suggest – he gets in line with the ball a bit more and looks to play down the ground a little bit more…”
Hayden’s cited Tendulkar’s iconic 241 not out during 2004 Sydney Test as an example of how self restraint can turn things around.
“I know he (Kohli) has a magnificent cover driver, but so did Sachin Tendulkar, and he put it away for a day. I sat in the gully licking my lips, thinking, you know what, this is magnificent, stubborn batting.”
During the 2004 tour of Australia, Tendulkar, battling a lean patch, showcased remarkable self-restraint and determination by completely avoiding his trademark off-side drives for the entire 613 minutes he spent at the crease.
“I didn’t look like getting a catch that day, and yet I felt like I was in the game that entire series. So, Sachin put away the cover drive, worked his way into the innings, hit off his legs beautifully, took on the spin, and addressed the areas of concern,” Hayden continued
“He put a big cross through them and said, ‘Not on my watch today.’ Virat Kohli has got that personality, and I’m sure we’ll see it in Melbourne.”
The third match of the BGT ended in draw after the rain spoiled the game on day 05 and both sides have one victory each. The fourth match of the Australia-India tests will be played beginning on December 26 at Melbourne Cricket Ground.
