NEW DELHI: Former Australian fast bowler Glenn McGrath believes the upcoming Test series against Australia could put significant pressure on Indian batsman Virat Kohli.
India and Australia will face off in a five-match Test series for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy starting November 22nd in Perth. India enters the series having won the last four encounters, but a recent 3-0 loss to New Zealand raises questions about their current form.
Kohli, a linchpin of the Indian batting lineup for over a decade, has experienced a recent dip in form, averaging just 22.72 in six Test matches this year. With injuries potentially sidelining key batsmen Shubman Gill and captain Rohit Sharma, the spotlight will be firmly fixed on Kohli’s performance.“Without a doubt, especially after coming off a 3-0 loss against New Zealand, you’ve got plenty of ammunition to back yourself up,” McGrath said in an interview with Fox Cricket, as quoted by ‘CODE Sports’.
McGrath suggests that Australia will be looking to exploit any vulnerability, stating, “So put the pressure on them and see if they’re up for it.”
While Kohli boasts an impressive average of 54.08 in his previous four tours of Australia, McGrath believes the Indian batsman’s emotional nature could be a factor in the upcoming series.
“I think he’s probably under pressure a little bit, and if he has a couple of low scores to start with, he could really feel it. I think he’s quite an emotional player. When he’s up, he’s up, and when he’s down, he sort of struggles a little bit,” McGrath added.