There are few sights in cricket as eagerly awaited as Kohli’s performance in Australia.
Which fan wouldn’t want to see him face the Australian pace trio and Nathan Lyon? Picture Kohli driving Hazlewood for an on-drive, only to be beaten the next ball it’s moments like these that make Test cricket so exhilarating.
The excitement is always palpable when Kohli arrives in Australia. His iconic innings here across formats are etched into memories, underscoring the impact he’s made down under.
In a recent podcast, cricket writer Gideon Haigh spoke of Australia’s goodwill toward Kohli, highlighting his evolution with each tour.
Kohli first arrived in 2011-12 as a fiery young player, navigating a team filled with legends like Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid, and even flipping the bird to the crowd.
By the 2014-15 series, he had blossomed into a star, taking over the captaincy mid-series and delivering four centuries.
In 2018-19, a more mature, balanced Kohli led India to their first-ever series victory in Australia, proving his growth not just as a player but as a leader.
But this time, things are different. At 36, Kohli is past his peak; everyone knows this, including the master himself.
His eyes may lack that old hunger, and after last year’s ODI World Cup, motivation appears diminished, except for moments like the IPL and his last T20I against South Africa in the T20 World Cup final.
In the recent NZ Test series, Kohli even missed a full toss of a delivery he would have dispatched in his prime. So, as he returns to Australia fans wonder: will we witness a final Kohli comeback, something only he can orchestrate?
Harsha Bhogle famously said: “when out of form, it’s always Australia to the rescue for Virat Kohli”, referencing Kohli’s memorable 82* against Pakistan in 2022 at the MCG.
Australia’s conditions suit Kohli, especially compared to the spinning pitches in India right now and his poor form at home currently.
His record of averaging 54.08 in Tests here, with six hundreds and four fifties, is staggering.
Virat Kohli of India celebrates after scoring his century. (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)
Kohli’s head-on battles with Australian bowlers bring out his fiercest side, and his best innings are often ignited by a little drama.
Australia knows not to provoke him – and doing so has often backfired.
Yet, is Kohli still the most dangerous batter for Australia? His current form suggests otherwise, but ruling him out could be a mistake.
For India to compete, they need Kohli to have a 500-600 runs series. With a thinner bowling unit as compared to the last two tours, mostly relying on Jasprit Bumrah, the pressure is on Kohli to surpass his 2014-15 performances, enabling India to post strong first innings totals to support their bowlers.
Yet, what if he doesn’t deliver? Would this spell the end of Kohli’s Test career? The thought stirs emotion among fans.
A poor series would not only hurt India’s chances but could lead to harsh backlash at home.
Kohli is bigger than the game for many Indian fans when he scores, he’s celebrated; when he fails, he’s often blamed.
His potential exit from Tests could cause a stir as intense as the Ganguly-Chappell saga.
For now, Kohli still remains India’s main hope in this series, and while his performances have waned, cricket is unpredictable.
Once Kohli finds his rhythm, Australia will face the same relentless challenge they’ve encountered in the past.
(AP Photo/Asanka Brendon Ratnayake)
Here’s what Australia’s bowlers had to say:
“He is a great player. Hope he doesn’t score a hundred because he is a gun player”- Pat Cummins.
“He is always out there (training) first and leaves last… and the intensity he trains at all the time is at such a high level it drags everyone else along for the ride. That can leak on to the other players and improve them as well” – Josh Hazlewood.
“I enjoy my battles with Virat Kohli, it’s because we’ve played a lot of cricket against one another. I always have some good battles”- Mitchell Starc.
“I used to look at Virat and think he’s… he’s got, like, the Australian fight in him” – Nathan Lyon.
When the opposition bowling attack of Starc, Cummins, Hazlewood and Lyon give you these comments you know you have a lot of respect there.
Having now played against this same bowling attack since 2014-15 it would be another spicy contest to witness.
Kohli’s last dance against them promises to be another unforgettable contest.
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