Sunil Gavaskar says Virat Kohli must be hungry, Aussies don’t want to make him angry

Quote: “Because he hasn’t got runs against New Zealand, he’ll be very, very hungry. Having performed on these grounds, he’ll feel that extra bit of confidence. Of course, you need a bit of luck at the start, but if he gets off to a good start, he will get big runs

Context: Since scoring his last Test century against the West Indies in July 2023, Kohli has gone 14 innings without reaching three figure mark. In that period he has only two fifties to show and having played only one Test during the previous tour to Australia, Gavaskar reckons runs are there for taking this time

Sanjay Manjrekar: Virat knows Australia’s plans

Quote: “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.”

Context: Of late, seamers have often relied on deliveries outside the off-stump channel to make Kohli go fishing at those. While Kohli has at times fallen to this, the biggest threat has been the odd delivery that comes back in. It is a ploy that Vernon Philander used with aplomb and something Josh Hazlewood could also attempt.

Ravi Shastri: Get in the face

Quote: “You mellow with age, don’t you? But I think at the start of the Test series, you might just see (Kohli) firing again. He needs to be, I’d like to see him (like that) again. In the face, that’s Kohli. Come Australia, he’ll get his juices going. Its about how he starts off.”

Context: Since he relinquished captaincy, one noticeable change off late has been how Kohli’s intense body language has dropped down a bit. From being a fiery competitor who loves to have a verbal confrontation or two with the opponents, he has toned down his aggression. And Shastri wants Kohli of the old to start firing again.

Shane Watson: Leave him alone

Quote: “There has been in recent times, moments in this career that the fire has started to go out because it is just so hard to maintain that intensity in every moment he is involved in a game. And that is where Australia have to leave him alone and hope he doesn’t bring the intensity.”

Context: From the time Kohli first toured Australia in 2011/12, his aggressive nature has won over fans Down Under. Be it his maiden century at Adelaide in 2012 or MCG in 2014 and then again in 2017/18, Kohli’s aggression set the tone. And with Kohli having mellowed down, Watson wants Australia to not enter into any verbal volleys with him.

Brad Haddin: Watch out when he walks out

Quote: “The only people who will know where his game is at are those in the inner circle. If he is sitting there with fire in his belly thinking ‘I don’t like Australia’ and he plays against us like that sometimes. And you will know as soon as he walks out — he will be out there looking for a confrontation and don’t give him one.”

Context: Speaking of the MCG Test in 2014, Haddin recalled how Kohli was waiting for any given opportunity to get into a confrontation with Australia players. Haddin revealed it even prompted him to tell coach Darren Lehmann that Kohli is setting the tempo of the game. Like Watson, Haddin too wants Kohli to be left alone.

Nathan Lyon: You don’t write off champions

Quote: “Overall, look at his record. You don’t write off champions. I’ve got nothing but respect for Virat. I want to get him out, there’s no point in hiding behind that, but it’s challenging. It’s been pretty amazing competing against him for so many times.”

Context: Though Kohli has been struggling for runs off late, Australia off-spinner Nathan Lyon doesn’t want to write-off India’s No 4. Over the past decade the two have fought battles in the middle with the off-spinner accounting for Kohli 7 times in 32 innings. Even though Kohli is struggling, Lyon doesn’t expect anything easy.