The Border-Gavaskar Trophy to be played between India and Australia is just around the corner and Virat Kohli looks all set to trouble Aussie bowlers with his stylish batting display. The former Indian cricket team skipper shared a picture of practice ahead of the first Test match in Nagpur starting February 9. Kohli was photographed playing an expansive drive after stepping out of the crease which will be good news for fans who will be looking at the star to produce brilliant performances against Australia.
On Friday, the likes of captain Rohit Sharma, Kohli, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ravindra Jadeja and KL Rahul were pictured training at the nets.
Indian skipper Rohit Sharma looked to be in good touch during a net session, while Kohli and opener KL Rahul also enjoyed a fruitful net session. The practice session was an intense one as both bowlers and batters worked hard to take their skills to the highest level before their opening Test against Australia.
Australia and India, currently ranked No.1 and 2 respectively in both the ICC Men's Test Team Rankings and the ongoing ICC World Test Championship 2023 cycle, will meet in a four-match Test series in India. The opening Test will be played in Nagpur between February 9 and 13.
India and Australia have played in 27 Test series since their first meeting in 1947-48. Australia lead the way with 12 series wins to India's 10, while five series have been drawn.
As part of the preparation, the Australian team has hired Maheesh Pithiya a 21-year-old spinner who bears an eerie likeness to Ravichandran Ashwin. Even as Pithiya's career developed to see him make his first-class debut for Baroda in December, his approach has stayed uncannily similar to Ashwin's, who will be one of Australia's biggest bowling threats during the four-Test series, which begins next week in Nagpur.
India are the current holder of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy after winning the series in Australia in 2020-21.
(With ANI inputs)