Former Indian cricketer Kapil Dev backs Virat Kohli and believes that he can end up scoring 2-3 centuries against Australia in the ongoing Border Gavaskar Trophy 2023.
Kapil Dev Backs Virat Kohli
During the Australia tour of India 2023, 4 Tests and 3 ODI matches will be played between February 9 to March 22.
The first Test of the 4-match test series is scheduled to begin on February 9 at Nagpur. Winning the toss, Australia choose to bat first where Indian skipper Rohit Sharma too expressed that he would also choose to bat if the toss went in their favour.
Mohammed Shami opened the bowling attack where David Warner and Usman Khawaja opened the Australian inning. In the second over, Siraj dismissed Khawaja in the very first delivery and draws the first blood for the Australian batting unit.
The early dismissal took the Indian team to fly high in joy. Apart from the players, Indian head coach Rahul Dravid too expressed his joy from the dressing room.
Siraj trapped Khawaja with an in-swinging delivery and although the on-field umpire was not convinced at first, a timely review from skipper Rohit Sharma earned India an early wicket in the encounter.
Australia scored 177 runs for 10 wickets loss in their first inning while India scored 400 runs after losing all their 10 wickets in the 1st inning of the 1st Test.
“I think he will make an impact, because he still has a lot of hunger left in him, which we all can see. The first match is very important. If he makes runs, then his playing style changes.
When there is a bigger player the first Test match is always important. If he even makes 50, then I can predict that he will make 2-3 centuries in this series because both teams will get two chances. We need to keep that in mind,” Kapil said on YouTube channel ‘Uncut’.
The former India captain also weighed in on the discussion surrounding the Nagpur pitch and said that as the pitch may end assisting spinners to a great extent, a score of around 350-400 can turn out be the winning total for both sides.
“We are hearing that there will be turning pitches, it can’t be that the team will make 600. If they make, then all hail the batters. The pitches will be in the batters’ hands. Nowadays, 60 per cent of the pitches are on the bowlers’ side, so with that in mind, we can’t say that 400 runs will be made.
It will be made between 220-250. 300 is very big and if they do, then there will be a feeling of not losing. If pitches will be a little good, then Virat Kohli will make runs for sure,” Kapil, India’s first-ever World Cup-winning captain added.
On discussing Australia’s 2nd inning, Ashwin makes the early ticket by dismissing Usman Khawaja for 5 runs while Australia trail by 215 runs.
