Ahead of the India-Australia Test series starting on November 22, former Indian cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar shared his insights on Star Sports. He specifically focused on Virat Kohli, discussing the challenges he might face in Australia and the potential strategies the Australian bowlers could employ against him. Sanjay Manjrekar, a former cricketer and now a cricket analyst, delved into how Australian bowlers might tackle Kohli's batting approach. Manjrekar believes that Kohli is "well aware" of the tactics that will be used against him.
He said exclusively on Star Sports, "I think Virat knows exactly what's going to be planned. They'll start with that line outside the off-stump and gauge what his mindset is. These days, he often leaves balls outside off and looks to drive anything pitched up. Australia might also try to cramp him for room and attack his body since he likes to get forward. This was a tactic New Zealand used effectively."
Manjrekar further elaborated that if Kohli is focused on balls outside the off stump, Australian bowlers, particularly Josh Hazlewood, might target a line on the middle stump, similar to the one Vernon Philander used effectively.
"If he's focused on balls outside off stump, bowlers like Josh Hazlewood might target that typical Vernon Philander line on middle stump. Australia will test various strategies, and Virat Kohli is fully aware of that," Manjrekar added.
With Kohli being a crucial player for India, his performance will be vital for the team's success in the series. The insights from Manjrekar provide a glimpse into the strategic battle that is set to unfold as India and Australia clash in this prestigious Test series.
After the series opener in Perth on November 22, the second Test, featuring the day-night format, will take place under lights at Adelaide Oval from December 6 to 10. Fans will then turn their attention to The Gabba in Brisbane for the third Test from December 14 to 18.
The traditional Boxing Day Test, scheduled from December 26 to 30 at Melbourne's iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground, will mark the series' penultimate stage.
The fifth and final Test will be held at the Sydney Cricket Ground from January 3 to 7, promising an exciting climax to a highly anticipated series.
India's squad for Border-Gavaskar Series: Rohit Sharma (c), Jasprit Bumrah (vc), Ravichandran Ashwin, Mohammad Shami, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Shubman Gill, Ravindra Jadeja, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Dhruv Jurel (wk), Sarfaraz Khan, Virat Kohli, Prasidh Krishna, Rishabh Pant (wk), KL Rahul, Harshit Rana, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Mohammed Siraj, Washington Sundar.